Fr. Erik Tjeunfin, sx
After witnessing the first stage of Jesus’ life in the Christmas celebration, now, we are invited by the Church to reflect on God’s call and the preaching of His Word. The readings of this Sunday narrate to us on how God encounters and calls Samuel, the two disciples of John (Andrew and another disciple) and Simon Peter. The events of the encounter, or call, took place in a family and community/society and involved some people. Samuel was born because of the prayer of his mother in the temple and she committed to offer the awaited child (Samuel) to God who, later, called him Samuel. Andrew and his friends, instead, were disciples of John. After meeting Jesus, the Messiah they were looking for, Andrew shared his experience with his brother, Simon Peter. At this point we can say that God has in his mind whom he should call. Before God calls us to build a family, to be a consecrated man and woman, to have a position in our work, to be a Catholic etc, God has prepared us beforehand without our knowledge. However He also respects our freedom and conscience whether to accept the call or not. He has planted the seed within us, but we need also a family and community that can help us to nurture and support the calling. We need human and yet divine community to produce a good and holy man and woman in our society. Samuel needed his mother and Eli while Andrew and his friends needed John to foster, discern, and point out to them the call of God. Like the three wise men directed by the star to find baby Jesus, so we need someone or community to find God.
Moreover, the fact that Samuel spent and laid in the sanctuary and Andrew spent his time with John for his formation, tell us that they looked for something or someone. Jesus said, “What do you want”. They just wanted to see and stay with Him. The same question, Jesus asks us, what do we want or what is our motivation in marriage, consecrated and single life, friendship and being Christian? Last Sunday’s gospel narrated to us the motivation of the three wise men and Herod to look for Jesus. The wise men wanted to worship Jesus while Herod intended to kill him. After coming and seeing the place of Jesus, Andrew and the other disciples decided to stay with Jesus. Andrew also went and told his brother Simon whom Jesus called Peter or Cephas meaning rock. Just like them, we are called also to stay with Jesus no matter how the condition of our lives is. There is a Sierra Leone proverb says to be “Wata say ston”. A river bank stone stays at the river no matter what season is. It is immovable. We are invited to stay and feel at home with Jesus, our family, our community in every situation. We can’t change or run away from our religion, family or community just because they have many problems or our need is not attended.
Thus, through today’s readings, God invites us to come and stay with Him. We pray that may He strengthen our faith and grant us his grace to support each other so that we can stay with Him forever and ever, Amen.
After witnessing the first stage of Jesus’ life in the Christmas celebration, now, we are invited by the Church to reflect on God’s call and the preaching of His Word. The readings of this Sunday narrate to us on how God encounters and calls Samuel, the two disciples of John (Andrew and another disciple) and Simon Peter. The events of the encounter, or call, took place in a family and community/society and involved some people. Samuel was born because of the prayer of his mother in the temple and she committed to offer the awaited child (Samuel) to God who, later, called him Samuel. Andrew and his friends, instead, were disciples of John. After meeting Jesus, the Messiah they were looking for, Andrew shared his experience with his brother, Simon Peter. At this point we can say that God has in his mind whom he should call. Before God calls us to build a family, to be a consecrated man and woman, to have a position in our work, to be a Catholic etc, God has prepared us beforehand without our knowledge. However He also respects our freedom and conscience whether to accept the call or not. He has planted the seed within us, but we need also a family and community that can help us to nurture and support the calling. We need human and yet divine community to produce a good and holy man and woman in our society. Samuel needed his mother and Eli while Andrew and his friends needed John to foster, discern, and point out to them the call of God. Like the three wise men directed by the star to find baby Jesus, so we need someone or community to find God.
Moreover, the fact that Samuel spent and laid in the sanctuary and Andrew spent his time with John for his formation, tell us that they looked for something or someone. Jesus said, “What do you want”. They just wanted to see and stay with Him. The same question, Jesus asks us, what do we want or what is our motivation in marriage, consecrated and single life, friendship and being Christian? Last Sunday’s gospel narrated to us the motivation of the three wise men and Herod to look for Jesus. The wise men wanted to worship Jesus while Herod intended to kill him. After coming and seeing the place of Jesus, Andrew and the other disciples decided to stay with Jesus. Andrew also went and told his brother Simon whom Jesus called Peter or Cephas meaning rock. Just like them, we are called also to stay with Jesus no matter how the condition of our lives is. There is a Sierra Leone proverb says to be “Wata say ston”. A river bank stone stays at the river no matter what season is. It is immovable. We are invited to stay and feel at home with Jesus, our family, our community in every situation. We can’t change or run away from our religion, family or community just because they have many problems or our need is not attended.
Thus, through today’s readings, God invites us to come and stay with Him. We pray that may He strengthen our faith and grant us his grace to support each other so that we can stay with Him forever and ever, Amen.