2nd Sunday Ordinary Time January 14, 2024

Readings: 1Samuel 3.3b-10,19, 1Corinthians 6.13-15a, 17-20, John 1.35-42

The First reading from the first Book of Samuel was explicit in the presentation of the voice of God calling on Samuel to serve in the Temple. It is the same voice that is inviting all Christians in our contemporary world. The initial confusion experienced by the young Samuel is even more evident in our world of confused values. There are so many voices around us. There are so many realities calling our attention simultaneously. Besides, modern relativism of our world has killed the idea of objective truth. It took the guidance of the priest Eli to enabled Samuel discern and respond to God’s call. This is similar to the presentation of the true Lamb of God by John the Baptist to his disciples.

At baptism, we were all called into having personal experience of God. A personal experience of God strengthens our Christian living; Christianity is above Church attendance, though Church attendance cannot be separated from Christianity. We need the Church; we need one another. Samuel needed Eli, while the two disciples of John needed John.

God reveals himself and speaks to us in the ordinary events of life, good or bad. There may be things in our lives that hinder our hearing or understanding the voice of God. There are so many deceptive voices calling today, trying to confuse the children of God. We must be careful about the voice we listen to, about the voice we follow. Do not let yourself be deceived by the end-times agents of the devil; watch and pray. As we celebrate this Sunday, let us open up to the promptings of the Holy Spirit working in and through the Church and the ordinary events of our lives.

 Fr. Terry.