This is a homily from a priest friend of ours for today's readings. Enjoy Shaji Chacko, Dubai
SECOND SUNDAY IN Ordinary Time 1. There is something wonderful about the WORD OF GOD. You can read it again and again, and there is always something new. Perhaps it is because we are constantly changing and hence the Word of God has a different message for us. We have all read the Story of Samuel so many times, we have sung the beautiful song: Here I am Lord - so too the Story of Andrew and John going to visit Jesus in the Gospel of St. John. In our culture and tradition we are always eager to do some action, do something important to say something profound Have you noticed, that in neither of these stories is there a CALL to do anything. It is just a call, just an invitation.. But both these calls seem to echo John Milton's beautiful words on His Blindness: They also serve who only Stand and Wait. 2. In the past, the word Vocation usually brought to mind the Call to be a Priest or a Religious sister or brother. As we grew in the understanding of Vocation , Married Couples also claimed the vocation for their State of Life. Finally, as in the fullness of time: we have realised, not as a concession, but as a sign of maturity - that Single People have a Call to live out in a special way their own Relationship with God. As we grown in Wisdom and Understanding, we look at Vocation, or Call as extended to all men and women - not just limited to the Christian Community. A call to all men and women to come into relationship with God. 3. The humour of God is as we have seen in these two stories is that God rarely calls us directly. God uses other persons in our lives and in our neighbourhood to invite us. In our first reading: Eli the High priest had to discern through the different times Samuel approached him, that there was a CALL from God. Eli also had to discern how Samuel was to answer this call. In our Gospel, it is John the Baptist who points his two disciples in the direction of Jesus. And at the next stage: it is Andrew who draws his brother Peter to his call. 4. And if you read carefully, it is not a call to the priesthood or even a call to service. The two senses that are used are the Ears and Eyes. Speak Lord for your servant is listening. And to Andrew and John, Jesus says Come and see. Our culture is prone to do something spectacular, wonderful and say something profound. None of these senses are called for. Quite the contrary: Keep your mouth shut and listen. Be still and know that the Lord is near. 5. As I said, none of the calls were to the Priesthood. The story of Samuel is typical of four Stories in the scriptures. One in the New Testament and three in the Old Testament: Story of Abraham and Sarah - with son Isaac genesis 21 Story of Manoah and Zorah -with son Samson judges 13 Story of Elkanah and Hannah -with son Samuel I Samuel 3 Story of Elizabeth and Zech - with son John the Baptist. Luke 1 In each of these stories, you have a woman who is barren or past the age of childbearing. This is considered a curse according to their religious and cultural traditions. There is a manifestation or epiphany of the Lord. The woman conceives and the Son that is born is dedicated to the Lord. But not necessarily as a priest. In the case of Isaac he was the fulfilment of the promises made In the case of Samson he was judge of the people of Israel In the case of Samuel he was a king maker and priest In the case of John he was the Herald of the Messiah. 6. And so the call goes out to us... each and everyone. It is a call to intimacy and relationship - not do something. Jesus called his Disciples, by human terms we could have advised Jesus to do better. He could have called the Pharisees, and Herod and Pilate... He would have had Wealth, Power and Influence. But God has other ideas. When God chooses, God chooses for fidelity not for success. God will achieve the Success in due time, and in manner which we cannot understand. A good example of failure is Jesus himself: three years of teaching, a bunch of rag tag uneducated men, who all run away, one even betrays him. And Jesus himself ends up hung like a common criminal on the cross. By human standards, by society's way of life, this is a failure, a lost of cause. And yet no man or woman has changed and continues to change the lives of so many people even today. 7. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do. He was to push against the rock with all his might. The man did this day after day, week after week, year after year. "Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I'll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough." One day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. "Lord," he said, "I have laboured long and hard in your service, Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock. The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve Me your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I say you had to move it. Your task was to push. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard. you have grown much through opposition - are you listening, because it is Your God who speaks? - are you seeing, because it is Your God who invites. =============================================================================== This mail is generated from JOYnet, a Jesus Youth mailing list. 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