Our Response to God - Reflection 2nd Sunday - OTB

 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011424.cfm

Raphael - The Miraculous Draft of Fishes - 

Google Art Project.jpg 

Public Domain - Wikimedia Commons

Praise be Jesus Christ, for ever and ever. Amen.

God is always trying to draw near to us; calling to us in our hearts.  It is true even places like our small community. Baptisms are scheduled. Our OCIA team is mentoring a group of young people at the university.  Today, I had 3 additional inquiries about the sacraments of initiation. This week, Diocese of Shreveport will be hosting Diaconate Inquiry and Discernment meetings.

God continually calls to us. How do we answer? Our response to God's call is a response no matter if we answer that call or ignore it.

Samuel, dedicated to God by his mother before he was even born, was sleeping on the floor in the temple of the ark of God. When God called out to Samuel. 

Samuel answered, “Here I am.” But, Samuel was not familiar with the LORD because God had not revealed himself; so, he looked to someone else to answer.

Luckily, he had Eli who pointed him I the right direction.

When the Lord revealed his presence, Samuel answered God’s call “Speak for your servant is listening. This young man was ready to serve.

In the Gospel, two were following Jesus because they had heard John tell them about Jesus “Behold the Lamb of God”

Jesus called to them first – “What are you looking for?” That question contains so much.

They had no idea how to answer him so they had this great response “where are you staying?” The two were not familiar with Jesus, because he had not revealed anything to them as yet.

John had pointed these two in the right direction when he told them about Jesus “Behold the Lamb of God”

In an awkward way, we are not sure if they asked the right or the wrong question; but, they did ask the right person.

Jesus does not tell them where he's staying. He says, "Come and see."

Jesus answers those who come to him in faith and with a pure heart. Remember to have faith and ask the right questions. Contemplate what you are seeking. The Lord will give the right answer.

God calls us to know him. God continually calls to us. Sometimes we can get lost if we do not have the right person to guide us,  we can look in the wrong place. When the LORD called out to Samuel, he went first to Eli. Eli pointed him in the right direction.

Andrew and Philip followed John and John pointed them in the right direction.

What is our response to God’s calling to us? Are we looking in the wrong place? In the 2nd letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul tells the church at Corinth that many of its members are looking for God in a wrong place.

Our body is God’s temple. In our body, our heart, our soul is where we respond to God.  In this body, which exists in this world, we are called to respond to God. Our response to God's call is a response. It can glorify God or sin against God.

Remember, we still need directions to the right person. That is the Church. It is the sacraments. It is our answer to God’s call to us.

Do we respond humbly, “Here I am Lord?” Or do we say, God come back later, I’m too busy?  Our response to God's call is a response.

Be good, be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live your life and love one another.

Praise be Jesus Christ forever & ever. Amen.