Reflection of 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
1S. 3: 3b-10. 19; Ps 39 (40); 1Cor 6: 13c -15.17-20; Jn 1, 35-42
He is calling you too
Dear friends in Christ, warm greetings of peace and joy in the Lord as I share with you the message of this Sunday’s readings, whose focus is on the call. As I was travelling last week from Detroit to Paris, I sat next to a gentle lady. I greeted her and introduced myself to her as a priest and the next question to me was: “How did you know that you were called to become a priest?” I smiled, and I said: “We are all called, but every person simply needs to listen carefully to the voice of God in their heart”. Yes, brothers and sisters, we are all called by God; called to conversion, called to responsibility, called for action and called to fulfill God’s plan in our lives.
Today’s readings help us indeed to focus on God’s call and the listening to his voice. Through the examples of Samuel in the first reading and the calling of the first disciples in today’s gospel, we are reminded in the beginning of this year 2024 that God is indeed calling us. It is therefore important to be open to God’s call in our lives. We need the Holy Spirit and the help of others to discern the tone of God’s voice which can easily be mistaken for any other human voice. Three times in the first reading, Samuel hears God’s voice but mistakes it for a human voice (Ely’s voice). Only on the fourth time, that he could respond, “Speak, and the Lord for your servants is listening”. This indeed is the beginning of Samuel’s vocation. May we practice the lectio divina in order to adequately listen to the voice of God!
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is calling his first disciples not only to a personal relationship and intimacy with him but also to a task that is to preach the Good News of salvation. No wonder Jesus tells us: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” (John 15:16). One can never encounter “The Lamb of God '', Jesus Christ and remains indifferent to the work of proclaiming the Gospel to the world. God is calling us today in our various contexts of life to participate in his mission of love and peace, justice and reconciliation in our world. How do I respond to this call?
That is the vocation that all baptized receive from the second reading today. St Paul reminds us that we are members of the Christ body and our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Henceforth our entire life is meant to serve God not earthly and vain pleasures that do not give honor to God. That is the main vocation of our existence to follow Jesus, to serve him and to be holy. We belong to God and he calls us to the sanctity of life. “Come and follow me, says Jesus”. Have you truly made this tremendous decision to follow Jesus? Look at this in the little things of everyday life: where to work? What to do? Where to go to school? Who to marry and even how to spend my money and in what to spend that money? The best way to discern is still the reading and meditation of the word of God daily.
I believe God is still calling us right now to a task, responsibility, ministry, stewardship, reconciliation, peace and unity, forgiveness and joy, sanctity and eternal life. Let us open our hearts and respond with obedience of faith!
Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO SAC
Blessed Sunday!