2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time - January 15, 2012

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The main theme in today’s reading is about call and discipleship. Eli helped Samuel understand God’s call. John the Baptist revealed Jesus as the Lamb of God to two of his disciples who left him to follow Jesus, and then Andrew introduces Simon to Jesus who gives him them name Cephas, Peter, the Rock! Before all of that drama unfolds, Jesus asks Andrew and the other disciple “What are you looking for?” It is an intriguing question with broad personal implications. Jesus was concerned with what they were really seeking in their lives. But notice that the two disciples, like ourselves perhaps as we struggle to discern the meaning of our own lives, do not give an answer. They respond, instead, with another question: “Rabbi, where are you staying?” This evasive response is an equally provocative question. Does it mean a physical place or is it a shy way of seeking a deeper spiritual answer? According to Biblical scholar, Fr. Raymond Brown, the Greek word menien, translated as “staying,” can mean “to lodge.” It can also have theological content, suggesting a desire to dwell or abide with God. Jesus then invites them to follow him and thus see where he abides. What they learn is how Jesus hopes to make his dwelling in their hearts and likewise in ours!

Jesus poses that question to us too. What are you looking for? Take time this week to reflect on that question. Reflect upon your words and actions this week – for there you may find your most profound answers. Reflect on the level of peace in your life. So many of us are dealing with loss, with pressures to provide for our families in this horrible economy, with illness, with aging and many other things. Those things are so very important. So maybe we can say to Jesus, “I am looking for healing.” Maybe there is some brokenness that pulls at our heart-strings destroying any peace we might yearn for. Maybe we have fallen in the challenge of the second reading with immorality of one form or another. Maybe we have lied or gossiped about someone and seriously hurt them or their reputation. What are you looking for from Christ? Healing, forgiveness, to know how much you are loved by him right where you are? Maybe you despair about mistakes. Jesus accepted simple fishermen, despised tax collectors and even a traitor right where they were, loved them, healed their hearts, taught them time and time again who our God is and how much he loves us. Deep down inside we know our Lord and God is the only one who can give us peace and true fulfillment in life by living and loving as Jesus lived and loved. It is impossible to know peace without responding to his invitation to come and see. That invitation when accepted takes us to mountain-top experiences of joy, loving and being loved, to valleys of ordinary days, and yes, most definitely, to the cross.

We will suffer for being his disciple, for choosing the harder good rather than the popular and easier wrong. But we never hang on our crosses alone. He is there always when our eyes and hearts are open to seeking him.

There are important lessons we can learn from the call of Samuel in the first reading which may speak to how God may be working in our hearts. The call comes in darkness to Samuel. Sometimes God may speak to us in the darkness of uncertainty. It seems natural that when we are having the most difficult times in life, we seek God’s presence and help. If one finds oneself in the dark, don’t run from it, dare to live there and seek God’s presence and guidance to get out of the dark. Secondly, Samuel needs the silence of the nighttime to hear the call. If we need to know where God is calling us, regardless of our age or point in life, we need some quiet time to discern and reflect. In other words, we must listen to God in quiet time so we can hear what he has in mind for us. This means making time to be still and turn off the noises that we love to use to saturate our environment . And then pray and reflect about events and people in our lives and decisions about where God may be leading us.

Jesus loves us and accepts us where we are and calls us to deeper relationship with him. When we open our hearts to respond to his call, then not only do we stay with him, but he stays within us. And like Eli, St. John the Baptist and Andrew, we may just in fact bring more disciples to Christ.