January 14th, 2024 - The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

In our Old Testament reading today, we hear about one of those midnight calls when one minute you’re asleep, the next minute you’re half awake. The Lord was calling Samuel to be a prophet. And Samuel listened and responded. When Christ called Andrew and Peter to follow him, they listened and followed.

Is God still calling us today? Could we be on the receiving end of God’s midnight calls or those divine knocks on our door at unexpected times? Our faith tells us yes, there are times when the Lord speaks to us directly and personally. Maybe it’s like God is trying to call us on a cell phone but since the connection is so weak, God keeps moving around looking to find that sweet spot to get a stronger connection with us, asking us over and over again, “can you hear me now?” So, when God calls to urge you to do some service or act of charity for someone, how do you respond? If God calls to ask you to speak the truth in love when that is really hard to do, or to be generous to a person in need, or compassionate to someone who has caused you hurt, what do you do?  When God called Samuel to be a prophet, Samuel said: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” When the Lord calls us in his own quiet way to do something for him, he wants us to respond with a listening heart and if we do, things will never be the same.