HOMILY FOR THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B (4)
HOMILY FOR THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B
HOMILY THEME: HE IS CALLING YOU
BY: Fr. Gerald Musa
Very often people ask me, “How did you receive your call to be a Priest?” My response is that the call did not come in one day. When some people think of God’s call, one of the ideas they have in mind is the story of Samuel’s encounter with God at night. And so, when some people ask the question, “How did you receive your call?” They probably expect to hear me talk about a Samuel- like experience or to talk about a special night when I heard a thunderbolt call from above and a strange voice tearing through the roof. My experience is such that I see God always working in our lives in mysterious ways. He is not confined to any particular style of acting, but acts in different ways and at different times in people’s lives. Actually, Samuel’s call did not begin in that dramatic night, but the call began even before he was born. Many of us can look back at our lives and see how the invisible hand of God took us through certain directions to a destination that we were unsure of. Like Samuel, when we listen to his voice he takes us to places where we will find fulfilment in life.
It is important to observe how God persistently called Samuel, and yet Samuel did not know who was calling him. He was still unschooled in the art of listening to God’s voice. He needed a spiritual director who would teach him the art of discerning God’s voice. We all need to learn the art of discerning the divine voice that speaks not just in thunder and fire, but one who speaks to us through scriptures, through the ordinary events of everyday, through the smile of a baby, in the depth of our hearts, and through our hopes, dreams and aspirations. He expects us to listen to his divine voice and respond accordingly. This is the reason why Jesus says, “My Sheep hear my voice and follow me” (John 10:27). We read about how Andrew and Simon responded to the inner call and followed Jesus. To follow Jesus implies adopting his lifestyle and in doing so faith and commitment are essential requirements.
A call is a vocation and many of us misunderstand the meaning of vocation. According to Mother Theresa, “Many people mistake our work for our vocation. Our vocation is the love of Jesus.” This is to say that love is the ultimate vocation that we all share. There are times when we equate our vocation to love with gratification of the body and so the Apostle Paul reminds us that the vocation to love is not about body gratification, but about glorification of our body by way of keeping it sacred. To live a vocation of chastity is not just easy, especially in our modern world where we are bombarded daily by images that provoke our lower instincts. To live a life of chastity is possible only with the grace and help of God. Pope John Paul II says “Chastity is a difficult, long term matter; one must wait patiently for it to bear fruit, for the happiness of loving kindness which it must bring. But at the same time, chastity is the sure way to happiness.”
The scriptures constantly challenged us to live a life that is worthy of our vocation to love. As we read about the positive response of Samuel, Simon and Andrew to the divine call, we must not forget that we are all called to be disciples. God is calling you to do something good; he is calling you to be something wonderful. We should constantly ask ourselves daily and in every situation of life,
What is he calling me to do?
What is he calling me to say?
What is he calling me to be?
Speak Lord, Your Servant is Listening!
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2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B;
1 Sam 3:3b-10, 19 ;
Psalm 40: 2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10;
1Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20;
John 1:35-43
