CYCLE B 2ND ORDINARY TIME
1. One week after we celebrate the beginning of our Lords mission, I think we could easily say that our greatest problem stemming from our Baptism is that we don’t understand all RESPONSIBILITIES we have or OPPORTUNITIES given to us that flow from our CITIZENSHIP here on earth or more importantly, as we must count our blessings, our MEMBERSHIP in the Catholic Church.
2. While we believe God could easily have ruled the world by Himself, He CHOSE to allow MAN to cooperate with Him to govern both TEMPORAL and SPIRITUAL affairs. In retrospect so far, maybe mankind is a hindrance to that end, but still, God continues to CALL us to LEAD and to FOLLOW. Our readings are about ordinary people who made extra ordinary efforts to cooperate with God to accomplish matters for both the Spiritual and Temporal order. You’ve heard of Paul, John the Baptist and even Andrew. But today let us open our minds to another, Samuel. He especially sets a good example to follow in our daily endeavors.
3. Toward the end of the historical period of JUDGES (1000 BC) in Israelite History, the people of that time felt that a MONARCHY was the only way to survive as a Nation. You see this fear and desire came about from a combined situation of INTERNAL STRIFE and ANARCHY, brought on by evil ruling judges; along with pressure from an OUTSIDE enemy, the big bad PHILISTINES who had expansionist ideas and were strong enough to destroy Israel. Prompted by a deep LONGING for SECURITY, the Tribes of Israel would need to UNIFY and INTENSIFY politically, socially and Religiously as a nation. A KING would lead both Temporally and Religiously.
SAMUEL, regarded as the last of the judges, was the man chosen by God to bring about this unification under a Monarchy. It was Samuel who God called to establish SAUL as the first King of Israel. And as events played out, Samuel was again used to anoint DAVID as the 2nd King.
4. While that is a historical perspective that flows from our 1st reading, It is Samuels’ understanding of mission and life for God here on earth that we should be most interested in. Samuel’s actions were the basis for much of what happened to Israel both Temporally and Spiritually. It started early for Samuel. He was a pleasant surprise for his BARREN mother Hannah. She then dedicated him to God. Growing up He was steeped in the Jewish belief system by the high priest Eli that he served. He was a TEMPLE MINISTER at first. (Our 1st reading finds him working in this capacity. Watching the Temple lamp near the arc of the covenant) Later he took over the PRIESTLY duties of Eli his teacher. And as life progressed in Israel, he was seen as both GREAT PROPHET and JUDGE to Israel. As it said for Samuel …his ‘words did not fall to the ground without effect.’ When Samuel at his young age answered with “…speak Lord, your servant is Listening” that allowed his HUMBLE attitude to become the SPRINGBOARD of opportunity for things to follow in the many capacities he served. His early life and that INITIAL CALL shaped the rest of his life. And he COOPERATING with God in the rest, shaped Israel fortunes Temporally and Spiritually for years to come.
Samuel ACCOMPLISHED many things. Notably is how he kept the Religious TRADITIONS and Spiritual PRACTICES alive as the Israelites made the TRANSITION from rule of the judges to the kings. His CONCERN for the care of the ARC of the COVENANT was especially important. From early on, he understood one thing well…he was a SERVANT to God. He was always LISTENING…always READY to do God’s will where ever needed. Samuel is a biblical character of High Esteem.
5. For Paul, we all know of his persecuting past. Now we see him cooperating with God’s plan. In Paul, we find a DUAL CONCERN for both the Spiritual and Temporal. Most of the world, the Corinthians in this case were PAGAN and knew nothing of the true God or His divine plan for them as SPIRITUAL persons AND citizens. And today Paul was addressing them with regards to the MISUES of their SEXUALITY. The only practical knowledge they had and used was to follow every desire for comfort and pleasure. So Paul COOPERATING with God wanted to teach the Corinthians the ways of the Lord. As we all know, much of what Paul preached had an EFFECT on the People.
5. John the Baptist as we know well, was cooperating with God to bring about a awareness that the promised MESSIAH was coming. He was concerned about the consequences of SIN in the lives of all individuals and how that affected the life of the person, community and nation. What he importantly did was to INVITE people to Repentance, to change their lives. His words had an EFFECT on many people as they came to be Baptized. He also INVITED people to be apart of mission of Christ. His words affected Andrew the future Apostle…and he in turn INVITED his brother Peter to follow Christ. Andrews words too had an EFFECT. (I wonder what Peter became?)
8. God Calls a lot of people. And as a Baptized person, we have been called to cooperate at SOME LEVEL. We must have a concern for the Spiritual and the temporal. This dual capacity is the basis for the churches concern for all things Human especially Social Justice issues. Have you ever asked yourself why the Church Teaches that is with letting Materialism grow is so wrong, with racism, with poverty, with enslavement to human vice? What IS wrong in the misuse of our Sexuality which allows the killing of innocent babies? Well it’s that God’s Kingdom in your HEART or on EARTH, CANNOT be built out of SIN!
9. We need a church, who will provide NOW, a people who are leaders and Followers. All cooperating with God to build the Kingdom, like Samuel, Paul, John the Baptist, Andrew and Peter. We as Baptized Catholics do have Responsibilities and Opportunities, so our prayer just like Samuels should say: Speak Lord your SERVANT…ALL your SERVANTS are Listening. We have come to do your will here on earth and it is in heaven. DO NOT LET ANY WORDS or ACTIONS of ours be WITHOUT EFFECT in building your kingdom.
Recent Comments