"Speak, Lord, Your Servant Is :Listening"

In the opening prayer of today' liturgy we pray"  "O Lord, we pray, that they may see what must be done and gain strength to do what they have seen."  Jesus models this in today's Gospel, Mark 1: 29-39.  He enters the house of Simon and Andrew.  Immediately, he is told about Simon's mother-in-law's illness. And just as immediately, Jesus approaches her, takes her my the hand and helps her up. He healed her, as he did many others who were brought to him that evening.  When Jesus saw a need, he responded in a positive way. What about you and me? do we act when we see a person who needs our help? Or do we say: "Not now; I'm busy." Or "Not now, I'm tired."  "Not now; can't you see that I am reading the paper!"

In the first reading of today's liturgy, Eli teaches Samuel to respond to God's calling.  Three times the Lord called Samuel, awakening him from sleep. Samuel, not yet familiar with the Lord, thinks it is his master, Eli, calling him.  With Eli's counsel, Samuel learns that it is God who is awakening him from sleep.  Eli had the strength to do what must be done--direct Samuel appropriately.  Later, we will see that Samuel also has the strength to do the Lord's bidding.

You and I are called in many ways. The call to be the Lord's servants came to us first in Baptism, then was reconfirmed in any of the sacraments we received since that day at the baptismal font, brought there most likely by our parents and godparents.  Like Simon (Peter) and Andrew, as adults,  we may be called to intercede for others. Like Eli, we may be asked to counsel another to listen to the Lord's voice. Or the Spirit may be calling us to take time out to pray/meditate, sit in quiet. Also, throughout the day we are called to follow the Spirit's lead: our employer has a special project that needs our attention, a coworker needs support; we need to stop and do grocery shopping before coming home from work. Once home,  a child needs help with his/her homework, a spouse needs help preparing the evening meal or cleaning up afterward,  chores need to be completed and the person doing the chores would like support; a relative or coworker calls and needs to talk. A small son or daughter wants you to play a game with him/her. A spouse needs an errand run after supper! Tired? Probably not as tired as the Lord was at the end of his busy day!

With Samuel, let us learn to say: "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening".  Help me, Lord, to be attentive to your voice, to recognize your voice and "see what must be done and gain the strength to do what [I] have seen."