Jan 20, 2024
(1Sm.3:3b-10,19; Ps.40:2,4,7-10; 1Cor.6:13c-15a,17-20; Jn.1:35-42)
“The Lord came and revealed His presence,
calling out as before, ‘Samuel, Samuel!’”
The call of Samuel, the call of Peter and his brother(s), and the call of us all to “glorify God in [our] body.” As “Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord” when the Lord called to him, so we must all have the Holy Spirit within ourselves, we must each “know that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit,” if we are to hear and answer the call of God. As the disciples were so set upon finding the Christ, so our hearts, too, must be set upon Him, if we are to hear the words, “We have found the Messiah.” He lives, brothers and sisters, and in His Temple He dwells. And each of us He would make His temple; each of us He calls to be His disciple this day. Listen for His voice, and go as you are led.
Samuel was but a boy when he was called, and with the pure obedience of a child he responded to God’s voice. Blessed was he to live with the high priest in the Lord’s temple, a forerunner of Christ in his living with the Lord from his youth, in his dedication to God and His will. But now the Temple that is Jesus has come into the world, and makes His home with any so inclined, any who would take their rest at this holy Tabernacle of God. He comes indeed now to make His home with us, even in the Sacrament He offers each day. And do we respond as the boy Samuel?
“John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God’”; and so the two disciples find themselves called, and so they follow the Lord: “they went and saw where Jesus was staying, and they stayed with Him that day.” And one called his brother first to the Lord; and so Peter, the rock of the Church, comes to Christ… and so are all gathered unto the Lord. And John still points to Jesus to this day, and Peter is still the rock of His teaching and the minister of His Body – and we are all now joined to them.
“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?” brothers and sisters. Do you not understand that you are called to a holiness that equals His own? This you should know, this you should understand – His call you should hear ringing in your ear. And “with ears open to obedience” you should answer, “Here I am,” and become one with the Blessed Lamb, pure as the flesh of His sacrifice.
Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt.
Music: "This World of Sin" from Cleansing Human Frailty, fourth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt.
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O LORD, help us to abandon sin
and all things of this world
that we might follow your Son to Heaven.
YHWH, help us to turn from our sins that we might find you. Help us to leave this world behind that we might walk with your Son to the kingdom. This world is passing away; let us not pass with it but come to your presence on high.
O LORD, you show sinners the way to you. You instruct us in your mercy to repent and believe in the Gospel your Son brings to us. As He calls to our souls, let us be humble and obedient to His Word, that like the Ninevites we shall be spared, that like Peter and Andrew and James and John we shall abandon our moorings to follow Him, and so enter into your kingdom.
Heaven awaits us, O LORD, by your grace. You send your Son to call us there. But we are attached to so many things of this earth and need your help to find the strength to leave them all behind. O let our hearts be open to fully receive the goodness you would share with us!