SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B

1 Samuel 3:3-10.19
Psalm 39(40)
1 Corinthians 6: 13-15.17-20
John 1: 35-42

OUR CHRISTIAN CALL

Life is a vocation. The Christian life is also a vocation. It begins with the encounter with a person, Jesus Christ. In any vocation, it is God who calls and man responds. In today's first reading, it is God who calls Samuel by his name (1Sam. 3:3-10.19). In the gospel reading, it is Jesus who initiates the conversation by asking the two disciples of John: "What are you looking for?" Then, he told them : "Come and see" (John 1:35-42)

Christian life is therefore a call to be with the Lord. Being with him requires certain attitudes. Two of these are proposed to us in today's readings:

1. Listening
Like Samuel, we need to listen to God who speaks to us. Eli the priest taught the young boy to respond to the unknown voice: "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening". God continues to speak to us, but we find it difficult to respond to him, because our life is full of noise. Even in prayer, we like speaking to God without allowing him to speak to us.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said: "God is the friend of silence. He cannot be found in noise and restlessness." Do you want to find God, do you want Him to speak to you? Learn the art of silence.

2. Bringing others to Jesus
The encounter with Jesus is a wonderul experience one cannot keep for himself alone. It must be shared. That was what Andrew did. When he met Jesus the Messiah, he told his brother Simon and brought him to Jesus.

We too must bring others to Jesus. Witnessing is that which authenticates our faith. Ironically, the more Christian chruches multiply, the more immorality abounds in our world today. Hence, St Paul advices us to avoid immorality. God has called us to dedicate our bodies to him (1Cor. 6:13-15.17-20). May he bless and keep all of us.

Amen.