Come and You Will See!

Are you listening?

When one lives in earthly society, the only way to discover ones role is to ask questions. Why? What? When? How? We are so used to asking questions, that we sometimes forget to listen.

There is a different approach when we live in God's Kingdom. How does one learn what God wants of us and how do we obey God's call? The first reading from the Book of Samuel gives us an example of how to listen for God's call.

We learn that the youth Samuel several times hears his name called even though he is fast asleep. Thinking that the call is from Eli, he immediately gets up to see what Eli wants. Even then, he was being obedient to a call. After this scenario is repeated several times, Eli realizes that the Lord Himself is calling Samuel. So Eli instructs Samuel what to say the next time he hears his name called.

God, of course, is persistent and again He calls Samuel's name. This time, Samuel responds: "Speak, for your servant is listening." By that response, Samuel accepted God's direction in his life and thus became God's voice to the people.

There is another call given in today's Gospel. Two of John the Baptist's disciples have listened to John call Jesus, the Lamb of God. Out of curiosity, they leave the Baptist and follow along behind Jesus, wondering where Jesus was staying. "Come and you will see" was Jesus' invitation to them.

We learn also, that one of those disciples is Andrew who couldn't keep the news of this invitation and his belief in Jesus as the Messiah, to himself. He brought his brother Simon to Jesus, who immediately claims him as His own by giving Simon a new name. "You will be called Cephas (Peter)."

In the same manner, we are claimed by God through our Baptism. We are given our name and are now called sons and daughters of God and heirs to the Kingdom. No longer do we belong to ourselves. We are temples of the Holy Spirit, says Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians. We have been purchased at the price of the suffering, death and resurrection of His Son.

If we are listening for God's Word to us, we now recognize that we need to extend that same invitation to others to become members of God's family and to experience Christ in their lives. Come and you will see...


~ Second Sunday in Ordinary Time ~