In today’s first reading, 1 Samuel 3: 1-10, 19-20, Samuel is
awakened three times. Each time he thinks that Eli, his master, is calling him,
so he goes to Eli, awakens him and says: “Here I am; you called me.” Finally Eli realizes that it is the Lord
calling him so he says to Samuel: “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, ‘Speak,
Lord, for your servant is listening’.”
Note that it is in the dark of night. It is silent and, more
importantly, Samuel, too, is silent, not distracted by the busyness or
distractions of the day. Furthermore, Samuel
relies on an elder, a trusted individual, to show him the way, as he” was not
familiar with the Lord, because the Lord had not revealed anything to him as
yet.” Jesus, in today’s Gospel, after a
very busy day, rises “very early before dawn,” and goes off to a deserted place
to pray—a place apart from the busyness and distractions of His life.
From both Scriptures, we learn how important it is to take
time to listen to the Lord, to hear His voice and the circumstances under which
we are more likely to be predisposed to hear the Spirit speaking to us: in the quiet,
in darkness, in a deserted place, by being instructed by our elders (parents,
grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, counselors, trusted friends/peers, anyone familiar with and genuinely devoted to the
Lord; in short, persons of integrity) and,
especially people like Eli devoted to the ministry of the Temple/the Church:
priests and women and men religious, deacons and others in the service of the
Church who exemplify a life of prayer, are devoted to the Scriptures, holy reading and, in short, seek God above all
else and, yes, are persons of integrity.
What circumstances do you create in your life to hear the voice
of the Lord?
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