INTRODUCTION
The central message that cut across the readings of this day is Divine vocation. Every single human being has got a vocation from God to be someone and to invest himself, his talent, his time etc to the service of others especially those that are not often recognized in human societies.
The first reading describes how Yahweh called Samuel to His service. The response of Samuel was prompt which demonstrates his readiness to serve even as he did not understand at first who exactly was calling him. His enthusiasm prompted his continuous recourse to his master and mentor, Eli, who directed him on what to do: “Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening.”
This response of Samuel opened a new page not only in his life, but also in the history of the Israelites. Samuel became thus the first judge to mediate the institution of monarchy regime in Israel. In the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 40), the psalmist sings, “Behold, I come to do Your will,” voicing his recognition that his vocation has called him to obey God’s command, that is, to do His will. In the second reading, we listen to St. Paul speaking to us, too, as he reminds the Corinthians that they have a Divine call, a call to holiness. He argues that Christians need to keep their bodies pure and their souls holy because in Baptism they have become parts of Christ’s Body and the temples of the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel, John the Baptist presents two of his disciples, Andrew and John, to Jesus as the, “Lamb of God.” They follow Jesus to His residence, accept his call to “come and see,“ go with Him and stay with Him the rest of that day. Then Andrew brings his brother Simon, back, to present him to Jesus, the Messiah. Thus, today’s Gospel describes the call of the first apostles.
FIRST READING: 1 Samuel 3:3-10, 19
The book of Samuel begins with a long narrative of what we might call ancient Israel’s middle history. Moses, Aaron, and Joshua were gone from the scene. The period of rule by Judges had begun (at about 1000 BC). The first chapter of the book of Samuel describes how Samuel was born to a long-barren couple as a child of destiny; a product of tears of prayer of Hannah his mother. His consecration and dedication to the service of Yahweh in the Temple at Shiloh under the guidance of the priest Eli came as a fulfilment of the vow made by his mother before his conception (1 Sam. 1:11). His temple services included attendance during the night near “the Ark of God,” a most sacred cult object and an emblem of God’s presence among His people.
The vocation of Samuel was born in the night, when the earth was asleep so that God could speak through the silence of his soul. The inability of Samuel to understand the voice of God at first instance is demonstrative of the fact that man’s response to God’s call is not an automatism. It is a journey that requires discernment under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the discernment of a spiritual director. Hence, the reason for Samuel’s constant recourse to his master Eli. Even the inability of Eli to understand at first that it was God calling the lad indicates that the act of guiding others on the part to answering God’s call is a constant process that dangles between human incapacity and the action of the Holy Spirit. It was not until the third call came that Eli, the old priest realized what was going on and told Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if He calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.’”(1 Sm 3:9). In reality, the threefold repetition of God’s call indicates genuine experience rather than hallucination. Eli was aware of the proper response for all God’s followers: “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.” The whole scenario informs that it is only those willing to carry out the Lord’s wishes that will be able to hear God calling — even in the middle of a silent night. The ability of Samuel to hear the voice and to give a prompt response is emblematic of how those who are called should respond.
The lesson we can draw fron this episode is very clear:
1. Vocation is exclusively God’s initiative;
2. God often calls whoever He wants, whenever He wants and wherever He wants;
3. Those who choose to be in God’s presence as part of their project will be blessed with God’s presence in their lives as part of God’s project;
4. No one is too young to be called by the Lord (Samuel), and no one is too old to retire from serving the Lord (Eli);
5. God calls even during the dark moments of our lives. Thus, the night of confusion should not distract us from catching hold of the voice of God.
6. Finally, each one of us needs guidance in discerning and responding to God’s will. Our lives as God’s followers revolve around our seeking, finding and responding to God’s calls. Listening to the call of God is to hear, understand, and accept it in word and action. Is God calling me today for a special mission? What is He saying to me? Am I really listening? And how often have I turned down His calls and pretended not to hear them?
SECOND READING: Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20
The letter was addressed to all members of the Church at Corinth. Corinth was a bawdy seaport in cosmopolitan south-central Greece and the center of intellectual ferment. It was a famous commercial city and surrounded by coastal townlets. The vices typical of every seaport, plus the strong wave of philosophical ferment of ancient Greece, were all part of the life of the inhabitants, and evidently gave rise, in part, to the need for this letter. One of the notorious sins of the ancient pagan port-town of Corinth was prostitution. The practice of sacred prostitution was also common in the Temple of Aphrodite (the goddess of fertility) where female servants, hetairai , were employed to engage in sacred sex. Some Christians who were also engaged in sexual immorality tried to justify prostitution as part of the Christian liberty, making reference to the teaching of Paul on the theme of ‘permissibility’ of everything (1 Cor. 6:11).
Corinth was indeed a difficult place to preach the Gospel and implant a new morality. Thus, it was a very challenging task for Paul whose teachings provoked intense controversies. The pagan Corinthians who were heavily influenced by the metaphysics of Plato believed that the soul of man was the important part and the body a mere piece of matter.They looked on the body as a matter of instincts to be fulfilled, including the sex instinct. Therefore, they argued, one ought to let the desires of the body have their way. It was not strange to know that some of the Corinthian Christians were also lured into such ideas. It is on this platform that Paul launched his teaching on the sacredness of the human body. He reminded them that they were “sanctified and called to be holy” like all who call on the name of Jesus. Paul underlined the ‘hypostastic’ connection between the bodies of the believers with the sacred body of Christ which automatically forbids any immoral use of their bodies. The Apostle equally argued that once consecrated to God, the body becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit; and being the temple of the Holy Spirit one ceases to claim its ownership because it has been bought over for the glory of God.
It was indeed a hard teaching for the community of Paul and certainly for the people of our time. How much impact will such a teaching make in our society today in which the media commercialize sexual images? How will the Christian youths manage the challenges from their peers who see sex as undeniable human right? How will Christian men and women understand that the satisfaction of their lusts is against the law of chastity? How do I as a priest hold firm and understand that my unfaithfulness to my avowed chastity is the corruption of the temple of the Holy Spirit?
There are virtually two tendencies that eat into the fabric of our faith:
1. Afterall everyone does it;
2. I can go to confession after.
St. Paul challenges us all today to reevaluate how we use our bodies. Do we still keep our bodies away from corruption of sin and for the glory of Christ?
GOSPEL: John 1: 35-42
John’s Gospel presents John the Baptist as a self-effacing figure whose role is preeminently one of witnessing. Instead of building up his own following, John selflessly directed his disciples to Jesus. John the Baptist gave testimony to Jesus by pointing Him out as the Lamb of God (vv 29, 36); Andrew called Him the Messiah (v 41), and Nathaniel called Him Rabbi, Son of God, and King of Israel (v 49). Jesus completed the epiphany, declaring Himself the Son of Man (v 51). In the Synoptic gospels, Jesus called the disciples away from their fishing boats to follow him (Mt 4:18-22, et al.). But today as recorded in the Fourth Gospel, they went to Him at John’s direction rather than in response to Jesus’ call. Instead of leaving their boats, they left John. On the second day of Jesus’ public ministry, John the Baptist introduced Jesus to his audience as the “Lamb of God.” (Jn 1:29). On the third day, he pointed out Jesus, the Lamb of God, to two of his own disciples, Andrew and John, as described in today’s Gospel.
BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD (Ecce Agnus Dei):
John is the only evangelist that was never afraid to represent Jesus with imagery unlike Matthew, Mark and Luke who were very much sensitive to their audience and were so prudent enough not to represent Jesus with images. In the Apocalypse of John (the book of Revelation), the evangelist calls Jesus “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Rev. 5:5). In this way he affirmed the mighty power of Jesus who fights battles for his chosen ones. Today he calls Him “the Lamb of God” thus referring to the humility of Jesus who accepted to be offered for the remission of the sins of the world. John who called Jesus “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” right from the very first page of his Gospel, confirmed this mission on the hill of Calvary when he wrote, Tetelestai, the greek word used by Jesus to mean “I have paid it all” which was translated in the latin vulgate to mean “it is finished” (John 19:30).
The “Lamb of God” became thus, the most meaningful title given to Jesus in the Bible. It is used 29 times in the book of Revelation. It sums up the love, the sacrifice, and the triumph of Christ. Such a Johannian introduction of Jesus might have brought some pictures of the “lamb” to the minds of his audience as:
1) The Lamb of Atonement (Lv 16:20-22). A lamb was brought to the Temple on the Day of Atonement known in Hebrew as the “Yom Kippur”. During the ritual of the temple, the high priest would place his hands over its head and transfer all the sins of his people to the lamb. It was then sent into the wilderness (as the lamb who takes away the sins of the Jews) to be killed by some wild animal;
2) The Lamb of Daily Atonement (Ex 29:38-42; Nm 28:1-8). This was the lamb sacrificed on the “Black Altar” of the Temple every morning and evening to atone for the sins of the Jews;
3) The Paschal Lamb (Ex 12:11ss.). The Paschal Lamb’s blood saved the firstborn of the Jewish families in Egypt from the “Angel of destruction.” The event was memorialized yearly in the sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb at Passover;
4) The Lamb of the Prophets, an image portraying One Who, by dying a sacrificial death, would redeem God’s people: “The gentle lamb led to the slaughterhouse” (Jer 11:19), “like a lamb to the slaughter” (Is 53:7). Both, as we know, refer to the sufferings and sacrificial death of Christ.
For those who are familiar with the question of Isaac to his father Abraham: “Father! he said. ‘Yes, my son,’ he replied. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering”, it might not be difficult to understand that the lamb of sacrifice provided by God in exchange of Isaac on the hill of Moriah as a covenant to the people of old prefigures the unblemished Lamb of sacrifice provided by God on the hill of Calvary for the redemption of humanity in the New Covenant.
Today John the Baptist answered the question raised by Isaac, “where is the lamb for the burnt offering”, by pointing Jesus to his disciples, “Ecce Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi“ (behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world).
The use of the language of John the Baptist in addressing Jesus as Lamb of God is very much familiar to us in our Eucharistic gatherings, when, at “the breaking of the bread,” we proclaim our traditional “fractional anthem”: Agnus Dei – “Lamb of God, Who take away the sin of the world, … have mercy on us (twice)/ …grant us peace (once).” In this prayer, we confirm and affirm our conviction in Jesus’s coming to the world as the Messiah sent by Godto heal our broken world, our broken lives and to make us one with God again.
STAGES IN GOD ’s CALL: In the opening verses of today’s Gospel, John points out to his disciples that the One who is passing by is the “Lamb of God.” Two of John’s disciples follow Jesus Who turns and asks them what they are seeking. Somewhat confused, they ask Jesus where he is staying. Jesus does not tell them. Instead, he invites them to “come and see.” “Each one of us is called personally by God to “stay with” Jesus, to follow His way, and to continue His mission of spreading the Good News (in a manner appropriate to our vocation in life)” (CCC #871). For each of us, belief in Jesus develops in stages, which John appears to be describing. First, we respond to testimony given by others. Then, having “seen” where Jesus dwells – within believers — as individuals and as community — we move to a commitment which is based on our own experience of the risen Lord. Finally, our conversion is completed when we become witnesses for Jesus. In Andrew’s case, his conversion reveals his belief in Jesus as the Messiah. He then brings his brother Peter to Christ. Jesus looks at Simon and says, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called ‘Cephas’ or ‘Peter.’” Cephas is the Aramaic word for “rock” while the Greek word for rock is “Petros.” This kind of name-change has precedents in the Old Testament (Gn 17:5, 32:28). Such name-changes indicate the beginning of a new life—a new purpose—a new relationship with God. Simon’s new life in Christ is symbolized by his new name, “Peter,” conferred by the Master. The evangelist sets out a challenging pattern for evangelization. The first people to be evangelized preached Jesus in their turn to relatives, friends, and even to strangers. We, too, must find and grow in Faith through our grace-assisted lifelong seeking of God’s will, as we come to God through Jesus, Whom we find in the local Christian community, as well as in the Church, the Sacraments –particularly the Eucharist — and the Scriptures. (Fr. Anthony Kadavil).
LIFE MESSAGES
1) GOD ALSO CALLS IN THE DARK NIGHT OF HUMAN EXPERIENCES
I have had the opportunity to counsel some persons who had difficulties in understanding their purpose in life as regards their vocation. The greater number of these persons had feelings of frustration as a result of the difficulty of getting life partners and settling down in marriage. I always tell people that for those who are constantly in touch with God, negative experiences of life are avenues of discovering their strength of faith and the percentage of their relationship with God. God’s call often come through the nights of frustration, and difficulties and challenges. When we are confused and frustrated there are positive attitudes to put up which are helpful in understanding our purpose in life:
A) We must never dialogue with confusion. We must learn to offer them in prayer to the One who is never a subject to confusion.
B) There is need to always seek for spiritual direction from someone who has the gift of discernment and directing the heart in quest for God. Samuel followed this logic and was able to understand the will of God for him in that night of confusion and constant questioning. (Message from the first reading).
2) OUR BODIES NEED DISCIPLINE
Saint Josemaría Escriváonce wrote: “To defend his purity, Saint Francis of Assisi rolled in the snow, Saint Benedict threw himself into a thorn bush, and Saint Bernard plunged into an icy pond… You – what have you done?” If we must grow in holiness, then we must learn to be in charge of our bodies. When our flesh drives our actions then we become slaves to endless sensual gratification.
Pope St. John Paul II wrote in his theology of the body: “the path of self-mastery is not easy, especially for a person who has grown accustomed to giving in to his impulses rather than controlling them. If he perseveres, though, such a person will feel a growing sense of his own dignity. He will begin to experience the body as a gift, and sexuality as a sign of communion—a reflection of God’s love.
Self-control is a fundamental part of self-mastery. To control oneself does not in anyway suggest that the body is evil—the truth is just the opposite. The body should be controlled with honor because it is worthy of honor.
In a world of media boom like ours, the marketing of sexual images has become so rampant and at an easy reach of everyone. The sacredness of sex is no longer a virtue because we joke about it, dream about it, watch movies about it, listen to music about it, lust about it (Jason Evert ). And we hardly think about it as an essential part of our being.
Those who love us, must learn to respect our bodies. Our bodies reveal the invisible and intimate part of our being and identity. It is God’s gift that must be used in a legitimate way. Therefore, to those who feel that they are indebted to their bodies because they cannot do without the bodies of the others writes Kimberly Hahn: “If you can’t keep your hands off your girlfriend, then keep your hands off of God’s daughter.”
(Message from the second reading).
3) OUR CHRISTIAN CALL IS TO LIVE AND DIE LIKE THE LAMB OF GOD.
(A) We become a lamb when:
1) we lead a pure, humble, selfless lives, and docile to God’s call and his will;
2) we share in the table of the Holy Eucharist; the body and blood of the Lamb offered whole and entire for our redemption;
3) we are wounded for the sake of Christ who was wounded for our sake.
(B) We die like a sacrificial lamb:
1) by sharing our blessings of health, wealth and talents with others in the family, parish and community;
2) by bearing witness to Christ in our illness, pain and suffering; 3) by offering our suffering for the salvation of souls and as reparation for our sins and those of others.
4)OUR CALL IS TO REBUILD BROKEN LIVES. Like the missionary call of Samuel and the apostles, we too are called. Our call is to rebuild broken lives, reconciling our brothers and sisters to God’s love and justice through Christ Jesus, our Lamb and Lord:
A. Through Baptism into the Body of Christ, we are empowered and enabled by the Holy Spirit to free the oppressed.
B. Through the love of the Lamb of God, we are called to better the lot and improve the broken spirit of anyone who has been exiled from the possibility of hope, exiled from God’s righteousness, or burdened by the yoke of spiritual, social, economic and/or political dislocation.
C. In other words, through the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the glorified Lamb, we are called to be His conduit, carrying an empowering sense of identity and of purpose to each human spirit we encounter.
5) OUR CALL IS TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE LAMB OF GOD. Today’s Gospel reminds us that being a disciple of Jesus means that we are to grow in Faith and become witnesses for him.
A. Bearing witness to Christ is an active rather than a passive enterprise. Knowing Jesus is a matter of experience. One could know the Catechism of the Catholic Church, all 700 pages of it, by heart, and still not know Jesus.
B. Bearing witness to Christ, then, demands that we should have personal and first-hand experience of Jesus:
1. We get this personal experience of Jesus in our daily lives – through the meditative reading and study of the Bible, through personal and family prayers, and through the Sacraments, especially by participation in the Eucharistic celebration;
2. Once we have experienced the personal presence of Jesus in our daily lives, we will start sharing with others the Good News of the love, peace, justice, tolerance, mercy, and forgiveness that Jesus preached.
C. The essence of our witness-bearing is to state what we have seen, heard, experienced, and now believe, and then to invite others to “come and see.” Other people will see Jesus in our lives when we love, forgive, and spend time doing good for all we meet.
D. A dynamic and living experience of Jesus will also enable us to invite and encourage people to come and participate in our Church activities.
PRAYER
Almighty and ever-living God, who created all things and govern them, both in heaven and on earth, be pleased to hear the pleading of your sons and daughters whom you have called and chosen. Grant that freed from the corruption of sin, we may lead a life pleasing to you here on earth, and then come to our eternal dwelling with you in heaven where we will see You as You truly are, whose live and reign with the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God, Eternal Unity, forever and ever. Amen.
PAX VOBIS!
