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

The Christian life is a vocation. It begins with the encounter with a person: Jesus Christ. As in any vocation, it is the Lord 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, to remain with him. Being with him requires certain attitudes. Three 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 instructed 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, noise inside and around us. Even in prayer, not only are we often distracted, but also 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 and listening.

2. Showing the Lord to others

Eli helped the young boy Samuel to discover the voice of the Lord. John the Baptist showed Christ to his disciples. And Andrew introduced his brother Simon to Jesus. We too must learn to introduce other to the faith and help them grow in their spiritual life. This is the role of every Christian, especially that of parents, Godfathers or Godmothers and our Spiritual director.

3. Avoiding immorality

Saint Paul affirms that the obedience of faith is the free response of the whole person to God. Thus, he advices us to avoid immorality, for our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and members of Christ. A good Christians must therefore glorify God in his body (1Cor. 6:13-15.17-20).

May the Lord teach us to listen to him and become his true witnesses for his glory and for our own salvation.

Amen.