Responding to God's Call

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

1 Sam 3: 3b-10

Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10

1 Cor 6:13c-15a; 17, 20

Jn 35-42

On this second Sunday of ordinary time, we hear the voice of God louder as always, inviting us to be His disciples. Today, the Holy Mother Church reminds us that God’s call is real and that God knows and calls us personally by our names. Thus, she encourages us to respond effectively to this call with our bodies, souls, and spirits.

For all of us to respond to this call of God we are invited to identify and realise the initiative of God towards our various calling, to purify the intention of our response and indeed to accept the call willingly and without coercion or fear of the unknown.

Let’s examine some of the steps to follow for us to respond faithfully to the call of God as taught by our readings:

1. The Initiative The first reading from the book of Samuel we encounter Samuel being called by God. At first he couldn’t realise the one who was calling him, he thought it was Eli the priest and he run to him. But Eli realising that it was God who was calling him, advised him accordingly. For all of us it is always God who takes the initiative to call us to Him. When the human mind begins to seek and the human heart begins to long, God comes to meet us far more than halfway. God does not leave us to search and search until we come to him, God comes out to meet us. This Devine initiation also is realised when John the Baptist pointed at Jesus and let free his disciples to follow Him. Though they were shy to meet Him, Jesus turned and spoke to them. And He initiated the conversation.

2. The Intention Jesus after initiating the conversation, He asked them a simple question yet very hard to answer. “What are you looking for?” It was very relevant question to ask for they could have been legalists like the Pharisees or ambitious time servers, looking for positions like the Sadducees. For us Christians after realising the call do we really purify our intentions or we remain as the way we were called? It’s always good to ask ourselves ‘what am I looking for?’ What’s my aim or goal? Is it really worth it? Some of us might be searching for security, peace, love, wealth, prominence, power, prestige, or a place to fit with our different talents and abilities. If our aim is directed by the motives of personal ambition and not service, it doesn’t serve the purpose, thus our goals should always be geared to Jesus Christ who can meet, fulfil and sustain our wishes.

3. Acceptance Samuel after answering the call of God, he grew up and the Lord was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect. This also applied to the two disciples of John, Jesus told them ‘come and see’. When we accept the call of God, He will never leave us, He will always be there to walk and journey with us. He will be inviting us, come and see. The solution to our problems is to follow Christ and you will experience his love, peace and joy.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, our readings are encouraging us to respond faithfully to His call, and this can’t be fully realised if we don’t allow God to initiate, and we in turn purify our intention in order to say yes like Samuel and the two disciples, that is, Andrew and the other disciple, later Simon who was named Cephas.

Have a blessed Sunday.