SCRIPTURE FOR EVERYDAY LIFE
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING: I SAMUEL 3:3b-10, 19
 Today’s readings speak about God’s call to discipleship and people’s response.  In the first reading, we have the account of Samuel’s call to be God’s prophet and to become active in the leadership of God’s people.  God’s call to Samuel came while he was still a young boy serving under Eli in the Temple.  Samuel’s birth was God’s answer to the prayers of a devout wife who had been barren all of her married life.  When Samuel was born, his mother, Hannah, was so grateful to God that she dedicated him to serve in the Temple under Eli.
 It was during his service, while he was still young, that he received his special call- his “vocation.”  As a young boy, he slept in the temple in order to relight the lamp, should it go out during the night.  One night, he heard a voice calling him.  Naturally, he thought it was the Temple priest, Eli, who was calling him.  Three times Samuel heard a voice calling him, and each time he went to Eli.  After the third call, Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling Samuel, and he instructed him to respond: “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.” Samuel responded to the Lord in this manner, and from that moment, the power of God was with him.
 Throughout his life, Samuel’s decisions and judgments were fair and rooted in God’s word.  Samuel learned how to listen to God’s word at an early age; he reflected, prayed and remained focused.  There is a lesson here for all of us.  There are so many distractions in this world and the cacophony of life can deafen our hearts to the call of God who so longs to bring us healing and peace.  Through prayer reflection and the ‘quieting’ of our minds, tongues and cell phones, perhaps we will be able to hear God calling us.  Through faithfulness to his Word, we will be better able to hear him and serve Him, just as Samuel did.

SECOND READING: I CORINTHIANS 6:13c-15a, 17-20
 St. Paul wrote these words to the converts in Corinth.  Some of them found that living a Christian life was difficult.  When Paul wrote these words almost 2000 years ago, Corinth was a pagan known for its immoral practices.  Being Pagan, he knew nothing of the true God or his divine plans for them.  Their philosophy was to enjoy every comfort and pleasure now, because when you died, that was it; life was over forever.
 Corinth had a notorious reputation as a seaport town of sexual delights.  There was a saying to describe wanton self-indulgence: “to act like a Corinthian.”  Prostitutes were known as “Corinthian Girls.”  Many of St. Paul’s converts fell back into immoral practices.  Upon hearing of this, Paul condemns their conduct and reminds them that they are now different than the rest of the people of Corinth.  They now have a special relationship with God.  Paul tells them that the human body is a gift from God and that there are temples of God, with the indwelling Spirit of Christ now residing within them.
 In Baptism, we have given our bodies over to God.  Christ has sent his Spirit on al who were baptized; therefore, every Christian becomes a temple of the Spirit.  We become one spirit with Christ.  Our bodies have been purchased for God at the price of Christ’s blood: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you…For you have been purchased at a great price (vv. 19-20).”  Our bodies are sacred vessels.  Let’s pray for the strength to refrain from abusing our bodies through self-indulgence or neglect.  We are children of God; let us act accordingly.

GOSPEL: JOHN 1:35-42
 The Gospel today focuses on how Jesus begins his mission of proclaiming God’s Good News.  Calling Jesus the Lamb of God, John the Baptist points him out to two of his disciples.  The disciples immediately understood that Jesus was the Messiah, so they left John and followed Jesus.  “What are you looking for?”  Jesus asked the disciples.  They responded, “Where are you staying (v. 38)?”  Jesus invites them to “come and see.”  It is generally believed that the two disciples in this passage were Andrew and John.
 After spending a day with Jesus, Andrew recognized who Jesus was and raced out to find his brother Simon; then he brings him to Jesus.  Similarly, the other disciple, John, also went out and sought his brother, James, and brought him to Jesus.  In the other Gospels, we are told that Peter, Andrew, James, and John are Jesus’ first four disciples (Mark 1:16-20).  Upon meeting Simon, Jesus gives him the Aramaic name “Cephas,” translated into Greek as Petros, meaning rock.  Petros means strength and solidity.  He was to be the solid, strong Rock upon which Christ would build his church.
 The call to discipleship requires a transformation of our minds and hearts.  We can no longer live for ourselves in a self-centered way, but now we live for others.  We are called to bring the loving message of Christ to those around us, including the poor, the needy, the lonely and the outcasts of this world.  To “Stay with Christ” means that we are alive in him and bear fruit.  Like the prophet Samuel and the Apostles, let us listen to the Word, practice it and proclaim it through our loving actions.

-Sunday, January 15, 2012