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Posted on 01/17/2015 8:46:29 PM PST by Salvation
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading I: 1 Samuel 3:3-10,19 II: 1 Cor 6:13-15,17-20
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.
36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God."
37 The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.
38 Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?"
39 He said to them, "Come and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon.
40 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.
41 He first found his own brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated "the anointed one").
42 Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Kephas" (which is translated "Peter").
John the Baptizer came "so that all might believe through him." (1:7b) Through him, the first believers came to Christ.
-- Blessed Maria Teresa Fasce
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The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.
Amen. |
Blessed Christina
Feast Day: January 18
Born: 1481 :: Died: 1543
Matthia Ciccarelli was born at Luco in Abruzzi, Italy. She was the youngest of six children and her father was Domenico de Pericolo. As she grew up, Matthia felt the call to a life of prayer and penance.
She decided to become a cloistered nun. (Cloistered Nuns are nuns who live hidden from the world and spend all their time alone in silent prayer). Matthia entered the convent of St. Augustine in Aquila and took the name Sister Christina.
Sister Christina's life as a nun was hidden and silent but the people of Aquila began to find out about the beauty of her work and the life she had chosen. She and the other nuns were bringing many blessings to them through their fervent prayers.
Sister Christina was cloistered but she knew the needs of the poor people of her area. She and the nuns sent to them whatever they could. Sister Christina was also aware of the crosses and sufferings people experienced. She prayed and offered penances to the Lord for these people.
Jesus blessed Sister Christina with ecstasies. On the feast of Corpus Christi, Christina was seen to float above the ground, and the image of a Host in a golden chalice radiated from her breast.
A vision on Good Friday caused her to have invisible stigmata (the five wounds of Jesus) and the pains of Crucifixion until the next day.
She was also blessed with the gift of prophesy and had the ability on occasion to know the future. The Lord used her to work miracles for the good of others.
When she died on January 18, 1543, the little children of Aquila went through the streets shouting that the holy nun was dead. A large crowd of people came to honor and thank her for the gift she had been for their city.
Although we may not be able to see the results of our prayers, the life of this cloistered nun shows us how powerful prayer can be.
| John | |||
| English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
| John 1 |
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| 35. | The next day again John stood, and two of his disciples. | Altera die iterum stabat Joannes, et ex discipulis ejus duo. | τη επαυριον παλιν ειστηκει ο ιωαννης και εκ των μαθητων αυτου δυο |
| 36. | And beholding Jesus walking, he saith: Behold the Lamb of God. | Et respiciens Jesum ambulantem, dicit : Ecce agnus Dei. | και εμβλεψας τω ιησου περιπατουντι λεγει ιδε ο αμνος του θεου |
| 37. | And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. | Et audierunt eum duo discipuli loquentem, et secuti sunt Jesum. | και ηκουσαν αυτου οι δυο μαθηται λαλουντος και ηκολουθησαν τω ιησου |
| 38. | And Jesus turning, and seeing them following him, saith to them: What seek you? Who said to him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? | Conversus autem Jesus, et videns eos sequentes se, dicit eis : Quid quæritis ? Qui dixerunt ei : Rabbi (quod dicitur interpretatum Magister), ubi habitas ? | στραφεις δε ο ιησους και θεασαμενος αυτους ακολουθουντας λεγει αυτοις τι ζητειτε οι δε ειπον αυτω ραββι ο λεγεται ερμηνευομενον διδασκαλε που μενεις |
| 39. | He saith to them: Come and see. They came, and saw where he abode, and they stayed with him that day: now it was about the tenth hour. | Dicit eis : Venite et videte. Venerunt, et viderunt ubi maneret, et apud eum manserunt die illo : hora autem erat quasi decima. | λεγει αυτοις ερχεσθε και ιδετε ηλθον και ειδον που μενει και παρ αυτω εμειναν την ημεραν εκεινην ωρα ην ως δεκατη |
| 40. | And Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who had heard of John, and followed him. | Erat autem Andreas, frater Simonis Petri, unus ex duobus qui audierant a Joanne, et secuti fuerant eum. | ην ανδρεας ο αδελφος σιμωνος πετρου εις εκ των δυο των ακουσαντων παρα ιωαννου και ακολουθησαντων αυτω |
| 41. | He findeth first his brother Simon, and saith to him: We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. | Invenit hic primum fratrem suum Simonem, et dicit ei : Invenimus Messiam (quod est interpretatum Christus). | ευρισκει ουτος πρωτος τον αδελφον τον ιδιον σιμωνα και λεγει αυτω ευρηκαμεν τον μεσιαν ο εστιν μεθερμηνευομενον χριστος |
| 42. | And he brought him to Jesus. And Jesus looking upon him, said: Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is interpreted Peter. | Et adduxit eum ad Jesum. Intuitus autem eum Jesus, dixit : Tu es Simon, filius Jona ; tu vocaberis Cephas, quod interpretatur Petrus. | και ηγαγεν αυτον προς τον ιησουν εμβλεψας [δε] αυτω ο ιησους ειπεν συ ει σιμων ο υιος ιωνα συ κληθηση κηφας ο ερμηνευεται πετρος |
Sunday, January 18
Liturgical Color: Green
Today the Church honors St. Jaime
Barbal. He believed providing a strong
education was the best way to help the
poor. In 1937, St. Jaime was arrested for
being a religious Brother during the
Spanish Civil War. He was executed by
firing squad.
Daily Readings for:January 18, 2015
(Readings on USCCB website)
Collect: Almighty ever-living God, who govern all things, both in heaven and on earth, mercifully hear the pleading of your people and bestow your peace on our times. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
RECIPES
o How to Cut a Four-Tiered Cake
ACTIVITIES
o Attending a Catholic Wedding
PRAYERS
o Married Couple's Prayer to the Sacred Heart
o Book of Blessings: Orders for the Blessing of a Married Couple
o Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Ordinary Time (2nd Plan)
LIBRARY
o Christian Marriage: a Covenant of Love and Life | Cardinal Bernard Law
· Ordinary Time: January 18th
· Second Sunday of Ordinary Time
Old Calendar: Second Sunday after Epiphany
John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God." The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi..., where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come, and you will see" (John 1:35-37).
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the first Book of Samuel 3:3b-10, 19 and gives an account of Samuel's vocation to take over the leadership of the Chosen People.
The second reading is from the first Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20 in which St. Paul makes it crystal clear that justifying fornication as part of Christian liberty is an incorrect interpretation of his preaching and that the body must be preserved from all immorality.
The Gospel is from St. John 1:35-42 and gives an account of the vocation of the first four Apostles who followed Jesus. It was a momentous event in the history of salvation. It was the beginning of a stream of vocations that would grow and spread down through the ages until the end of the world. It was momentous, firstly, in that Christ, who had come to open heaven for all men and who could find means of bringing them all to that eternal home without help from any man, decided instead to let men co-operate with him in this divine task. He decreed to set up a kingdom in this world—his Church—which would be run by mere mortals for their fellow-mortals, but which would be under his protection and assisted by his divine aid until the end of time. Christ chose this very human way, in order to make his Church more acceptable to our limited, human understanding and more approachable for sinful, human nature.
Christ, as God, could deal directly with every human being on earth. He could teach the infallible truth; he could pardon sins; he could give all the graces needed to travel successfully to heaven. There would then be no need for a Church with its teaching magisterium, no need for the sacrament of Baptism, or of Penance, nor of the Holy Eucharist itself or of any other such aids. Christ could do all that his Church does for the salvation of mankind, and more successfully, of course, but yet he chose the way which divine wisdom saw was best.
We mortals know that God can speak directly to our hearts, and actually has done so to many men in the past. We know that he can do directly all that is done by his Church, to whom he gave the power, with its teaching magisterium and sacraments. If he were to act in this way we should be open to continuous doubts about the source of our inspirations and the objectivity of the graces we thought we were receiving. It was to remove such doubts, and the possibility of self-deception that Christ left to us the external visible kingdom to which he gave all the powers necessary for men's salvation. It was for the security and peace of men's consciences that he set up a visible Church founded on the Apostles, men like ourselves, but transformed by his assisting grace.
Another momentous fact in Christ's choice of the Apostles on whom he was to build his Church, is that he "chose the lowly and the humble to confound the wise." The first four Apostles, as well as the other eight, were simple, lowly fishermen from Galilee. They may possibly have been able to read and write a little, but they were certainly not men of education or any social standing in their communities. He could have converted and chosen some of the more highly educated scribes of Jerusalem, or some of the Roman centurions then in Palestine, or some of the many philosophers in Greece, or even Roman senators whose influence as Christian teachers would carry such weight with the educated elite of the empire. But he did not. The instrument he chose to carry his message to all men was not dependent on human ingenuity or on the educational or social standing of his witnesses. Rather it was to stand on the power of God, of which it was the expression and proof.
We can see clearly the divine wisdom governing Christ's choice of Apostles! Had his message of salvation been spread and promulgated by men of learning and social standing, the cry would soon go up on all sides: "This religion is the invention of philosophers; it is a clever plan of the upper classes to keep the poor and humble workers in subjection." But it was the poor and working classes who spread Christ's message, and who suffered imprisonment and death itself at the hands of the educated and upper classes for so doing.
Today, let us thank our blessed Lord who provided so humanly—and yet so divinely for our eternal welfare. In the Church, which he founded on the lowly but solid foundation of simple fishermen of Galilee, he erected an institution against which the gates of hell, the power of all the enemies of our salvation, cannot prevail, for his divine guidance and help will be with it forever. It has had enemies and opposition from the beginning; they may be more numerous and more destructive than ever today. But the promise of Christ still holds good, his word cannot fail. Therefore, neither the opposition of materialistic enemies from without, nor the even more insidious attacks from faint-hearted and worldly-minded members from within, can affect the safety and permanence of the building which Christ built on the Rock. "If God is with us," it matters not "who is against us."
— Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Eight Days reflecting on Jesus' words to the Samaritan woman, "Give me to drink".
Day One: It is necessary to go through Samaria (John 4:4)
God of all peoples, teach us to go through Samaria to meet our brothers and sisters from other churches. Allow us to go there with an open heart so we may learn from every church and culture. We confess that you are the source of unity. Grant us the unity that Christ wills for us. Amen.
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Lord was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect. (1 Samuel 3:19)
Learning how to listen to the voice of the Lord is key to spiritual growth. Every saint’s life illustrates this point in one way or another. Francis of Assisi heard the Lord say, “Rebuild my Church,” and even though it took him some time to understand what God meant, Francis was faithful to that command. Mother Teresa felt God ask her to leave her order and care for the poorest of the poor. These saints, and so many others, responded because these words had a powerful effect on them.
But it isn’t just in the deep, life-changing moments that God wants to speak to us. In fact, these saints could hear these “big” messages because they had experience discerning the quieter messages that Jesus put in their hearts. And that’s how it can happen for us. When we sense God telling us, “Come to me, and I will give you peace,” we can stop for a moment and turn our hearts to him. Or when we hear “Come and confess your sins,” we can make a quick examination of conscience and ask for his mercy. Responding to these small promptings will bring us closer to the Lord—and they’ll help us hear him in the bigger areas of our lives!
The Holy Spirit never tires of telling us that Jesus has redeemed us and is offering us new life. He never tires of nudging us toward more virtuous behavior so that we can become more like Christ. He never tires of helping us find the way to peace, the peace that comes from aligning ourselves with his will.
Yielding to the Lord and letting him have an effect on us—this is our great challenge. It’s easy to go our own way without listening for God’s word. But when we see the fruit of hearing and following him, we know it is the greatest treasure we can possibly have.
“Open my ears, Lord, to hear your word. Give me the courage to follow you wherever you lead.”
Psalm 40:2, 4, 7-10
1 Corinthians 6:13-15, 17-20
John 1:35-42
(1 Samuel 3:3-10,19; Psalm 40:2,4,7-10; 1 Corinthians 6:13-15,17-20; John 1:35-42)
1. In the first reading, we hear these words, “At that time Samuel was not familiar with the Lord, because the Lord had not revealed anything to him as yet.” However, through Eli’s words to him, he was able to say to the Lord, “Speak, for your servant is listening” and the Lord began to reveal himself to him. In what ways has the Lord revealed himself to you? Have you ever said to the Lord in your times of prayer and reflection: “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening”? If you did what happened, and if you haven’t, what do you think would happen?
2. The responsorial psalm calls us to humbly turn to the Lord with these words, “Here I am, Lord, I come to do your will.” The psalmist expresses this even further with these words: “to do your will, O my God, is my delight.” What part does doing the Lord’s will play in how you live your own life? Is it your “delight”? What steps can you take to be more in tune with the Lord’s will for your life?
3. The second reading ends with these challenging words: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). What role does the Holy Spirit (“within you”) play in discerning God’s call for your life? What can you do to give him a bigger role? What are some ways you can “glorify God in your body”?
4. In the Gospel reading, Peter was helped by Andrew in bringing him to the Lord and recognizing the call of the Lord for his life (as was Samuel by Eli in the first reading). In what ways has God used others to help you in knowing the Lord more deeply and discerning his will for your life?
5. Do you believe that Jesus wants to open your heart to experience his love more deeply, so that you too will be compelled, like Andrew in the Gospel reading, to tell others about the Lord and to help in bringing them to him? Why or why not?
6. The meditation ends with these words: “Yielding to the Lord and letting him have an effect on us—this is our great challenge. It’s easy to go our own way without listening for God’s word. But when we see the fruit of hearing and following him, we know it is the greatest treasure we can possibly have.” What do “Yielding to the Lord” and “listening for God’s words” mean to you? How can you make them a greater reality in your life?
7. Take some time now to pray and ask the Lord to give you ears to hear his voice, and the courage to say yes to his will and act on it. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.
BEHOLD, THE LAMB OF GOD!
(A biblical refection on the SECOND ORDINARY SUNDAY, 18 January 2015)
Gospel Reading: John 1:35-42
First Reading: 1 Samuel 3:3-10,19; Psalms: Psalm 40:2,4,7-10; Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 6:13-15,17-20
The Scripture Text
The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples; and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard Him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” And they said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are You staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). (John 1:35-42 RSV)
Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist, but he was a fisherman as well. Like most of us, he had many responsibilities, but he still set aside time to nurture his spiritual life. He took his life with God seriously and eagerly looked forward to the promised Messiah. That’s why he was attracted to John the Baptist. Though it cost him time and effort, Andrew embraced John’s teaching of repentance in preparation for a special visitation from God.
And now the object of his pursuit was within view as John declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36). With a fellow disciple, Andrew followed after Jesus. He wanted to spend time with Jesus so that he could confirm what John the Baptist had already declared.
Imagine Jesus conversing deep into the night with Andrew and his companion about John’s teaching. Andrew seems to have been convinced by Jesus’ words, by His manner, and by the power of His presence. He probably still had a lot to learn, but he had heard enough to be convinced that Jesus was indeed worth following.
Now, let’s imagine ourselves (you and I) talking to Jesus. We formulate some questions and write them in our journals and then imagine Jesus answering them. For example, picture Jesus telling us about all God’s promises from scripture; about deliverance from sin; or about the gift of the Holy Spirit. Let’s quiet our minds and listen to what He has to say. Everything Andrew experienced when he spent the day with Jesus is what we can experience when we “come and see” (John 1:39). God wants to open our hearts to His love so that we will be compelled like Andrew to tell our sisters and brothers about Jesus and bring them to Him.
Short Prayer: Lord Jesus, You ask me why I seek You. Pour Your grace into me now and show me my soul’s answer. Heal me where I need to be healed that I might follow You with my whole heart, soul, and strength and bring others to You. Amen.
Daily Marriage Tip for January 18, 2015:
“How do you know me?” (John 1:48) While learning about the other person is generally associated with the dating period, continuing to ask and learn about your spouse is an essential part of marriage. Ask questions. Tell stories. Keep learning about your beloved.
January 18, 2015
Opening Prayer
First Reading: 1 Samuel 3:3b-10,19
Psalm: 40:2,4,7-10
Second Reading:
1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a,17-20 Gospel Reading: John 1:35-42
QUESTIONS:
Catechism of the Catholic Church: §§ 608, 1816, 436, 552-553, 880-881 Jesus is the teacher of holiness. I go to him because I want him to teach me how to become a saint. Of what use is all I learn in school if I do not become holy? -St. Francis de Sales
Pastor’s Column
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 18, 2015
In this Sunday’s first reading (1 Samuel 3:3-19), the young prophet Samuel has been placed in the care of Eli, a spiritual master in a Jewish shrine. The Lord begins to speak to Samuel, but the problem is that Samuel does not yet know the voice of the Lord! He hears an audible voice, but assumes that this is the spiritual guide he lives with, Eli. Once Eli realizes what is going on, he instructs Samuel in what to do when the Lord speaks to him again by saying, Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.
How does the Lord usually speak to us? It usually isn’t with an audible voice from heaven! The normative way that God speaks to us is through the Scriptures and through church teaching. As Roman Catholics we have access to everything. How can we claim ignorance on the last day of our lives when God has given us so much solid teaching? There's no reason for us to go through life deaf, dumb and blind as to what life is really all about or to be constantly seeking the wrong things as if we do not have a sure guide. Much of the confusion in our world seems to center around sexuality, life-and-death issues, and our conscience, which can at times mislead us if it is not formed correctly. The church offers itself as a guide through these difficulties – because Christ speaks to her and we can count on this in our daily choices in faith and morals.
There is an interesting Ignatian Exercise called the discernment of spirits. Sometimes the fruits of one of our choices is obvious. We get immediate pleasure from our sinful choice and then have two weeks of guilt after this thing has happened. This helps us realize we have followed the wrong voice. How did my decision affect others? Sometimes this is obvious at the beginning. Sometimes in the middle of my choice as it plays out. Other times not until the end. Gossip, for example, may make me feel good at the beginning; and I may justify my speech by thinking that I'm getting back at somebody that hurt me. Or perhaps I am unconsciously making myself look good at the expense of others. But later I may come to the realization that what I have said is not true, or it now makes me feel bad that I have become someone who denigrates others. In this way, by reflecting on the fruits of our actions, we can grow in discernment in hearing the Lord’s voice by how we carry it out and by the fruits of our choices.
When we pray, like Samuel, we can begin with an attitude of openness: Speak, Lord your servant is listening. Sometimes he will answer within our prayer time and more often afterward, but we can always expect him to speak to us at church when the scriptures are read or during the homily or in an encyclical or the catechism, and when we ourselves reflect on church teaching in the Scriptures. He often speaks to us also in the circumstances of our lives, but it always needs to jive with scripture and church teaching. God is subtle, because this is how we grow in discernment, but he will never lead us without having a sure guide for the journey.
Father Gary
Posted by Dr. Scott Hahn on 01.15.15 |
Readings:
1 Samuel 3:3-10,19
Psalm 40:2,4,7-10
1 Corinthians 6:13-15,17-20
John 1:35-42
In the call of Samuel and the first Apostles, today’s Readings shed light on our own calling to be followers of Christ.
Notice in the Gospel today that John’s disciples are prepared to hear God’s call. They are already looking for the Messiah, so they trust in John’s word and follow when he points out the Lamb of God walking by.
Samuel is also waiting on the Lord - sleeping near the Ark of the Covenant where God’s glory dwells, taking instruction from Eli, the high priest.
Samuel listened to God’s word and the Lord was with him. And Samuel, through his word, turned all Israel to the Lord (see 1 Samuel 3:21; 7:2-3). The disciples too, heard and followed - words we hear repeatedly in today’s Gospel. They stayed with the Lord and by their testimony brought others to the Lord.
These scenes from salvation history should give us strength to embrace God’s will and to follow His call in our lives.
God is constantly calling to each of us - personally, by name (see Isaiah 43:1; John 10:3). He wants us to seek Him in love, to long for His word (see Wisdom 6:11-12). We must desire always, as the apostles did, to stay where the Lord stays, to constantly seek His face (see Psalm 42:2).
For we are not our own, but belong to the Lord, as Paul says in today’s Epistle.
We must have ears open to obedience, and write His word within our hearts. We must trust in the Lord’s promise - that if we come to Him in faith, He will abide with us (see John 15:14; 14:21-23), and raise us by His power. And we must reflect in our lives the love He has shown us, so that others too may find the Messiah.
As we renew our vows of discipleship in this Eucharist, let us approach the altar singing the new song of today’s Psalm: “Behold I come . . . to do your will O God.”
1 Sam 3: 3b-10, 19
1 Cor 6: 13c-15a, 17-20
Jn 1: 35-42
The Word for Sunday: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/011815.cfm
There’s a story that’s told about an only child, a 3 year-old girl, whose mother was pregnant again. The girl couldn’t wait until the baby was born. Soon after her parents brought a baby boy home from the hospital when she excitedly made a request: Could she be alone with her new brother in his room all by herself for just a few minutes?
Well, as any parent, her mom and dad were a bit uneasy but knew they had installed an intercom system near the child’s crib so they reluctantly granted her wish. Once their daughter went into the baby’s room and shut the door they raced to listen to the conversation and what she would do. What they heard was their 3 year old daughter whisper to her little brother: “Tell me about God – I’ve almost forgotten.”
While that story may make us smile it also uncovers a great truth to which we can all relate. When we are little children any talk about God from our parents is readily accepted. We believe that we came from God and that Jesus loves us. The simple faith of a child is beautiful.
Yet, as we mature and get on with the more complex matters of life and our lives become more filled with responsibilities and activities, any conscious thinking of God can sadly become more of an afterthought. While we may not deliberately deny God’s existence, we give him little attention. We may remember God in times of desperation but we claim that we are too busy to spend much time with him. I remember a movie line in which one of the characters was heard to say: “I don’t pray - I work.” That may be more common than we are willing to admit. Why do we forget about God or end up with a prayer life that is lacking? Maybe our readings today provide some clue.
Our first reading from Samuel is somewhat strange if the events are accurate. I’ve always wondered when hearing this story, how could Samuel possibly have gone to sleep three times on command? Wake up and go to sleep just like that?
Clearly the story is about the voice of God which can be heard only at times that we are silent and away from distractions and responsibilities. Three times God calls Samuel and only after the third time does Eli recognize that Samuel is being called by God and his response should not be, “Don’t bother me, I’m trying to sleep here – again.” Rather, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” Once Samuel recognizes who is calling to him, he submits in reverence. When we remember God our lives fall into perspective.
We look to the Gospel scene of the call of the first disciples. John the Baptist clearly had followers and among them were those who became the first of Jesus’ disciples, later to be Apostles.
The scene is inspiring as John points the way to Christ, for his baptismal ministry now must fade from the scene and defer to Jesus’ greater mission. John points to the “Lamb of God” and his disciples turn in pursuit of Jesus. Andrew, after some time with Jesus, returns to his brother with the conviction, “We have found the Messiah” and Simon runs to wonder if this is true. They all walk away from the familiar and safe and go off in hope of something new.
Yet, it’s more than just an interesting story. The dialogue between Jesus and these men is revealing. “What are you looking for?” Jesus inquires of these early disciples of the Baptist.
“Rabbi, where do you stay?” they respond. It’s far more than just, where do you hang out? Jesus initial question is rich with a greater sense. “What are you looking for?” is really the most important question in any of our lives. It’s not about what we want to be when we grow up or what sort of job or career we may be seeking. It’s more of a vocational question about the quality and direction of our life. Once they knew Jesus more deeply did they come to understand that following him will mean an entirely new way of life and the choice to reject or embrace his teaching, along with the cost they will pay for their loyalty to him.
Jesus’ further response deepens the sense of discipleship: “Come and you will see.” Looking from our perspective we may want to say, “Boy, if they only knew what they are getting in to.”
Yet, Jesus’ statement is more of an invitation: Come to find a new way of life; a new hope for the world of which you will be the great missionaries. It’s all very much about the qualities of being open to God in our life and not to forget the mission we are privileged to share in – that of our Christian way of life.
Like Samuel we are reminded to listen carefully and to pay attention to how and where God moves in our lives. At times it may be obvious but at others not so. Consider the events of the week, or the people we’ve encountered, or the things someone may have said to us or some insight during prayer.
Like the disciples of Jesus, we may be seeking for him but are unclear about the direction we should go. We may find ourselves confronted with family or marriage problems, with sickness and greater health issues, with financial difficulties or with sin that we find hard to resist.
Where do we go with such things? Jesus’ invitation to “Come and you will see” is spoken to us as well. To embrace the gospel of Christ is to allow our lives to be formed in a new direction. The positive nature of Christianity is often not emphasized. There is a reason why Pope Francis titled his first formal letter to the world, “The Joy of the Gospel.”
Jesus came to bring us the “good” news of God’s mercy and love. We are called to equality of persons and the inclusive nature of Christianity in general reminds us that everyone is welcome to seek the Lord and live according to the way he proposes for us.
So, this weekend’s readings are about the desire of God to welcome us to his Son. And we know that our gathering at the Eucharist is not only a time to catch up with those parishioners and the Pastor whom we haven’t seen since last week but a time to encounter through the eyes of faith, this living Christ who is constantly inviting us to, “Come and see” how we can transform the world about us through his grace.
Almighty ever-living God,
who govern all things
both in heaven and on earth,
mercifully hear the pleading of your people
and bestow your peace on our times.
(Collect of Sunday)
Fr. Tim
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