1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19
1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20
Jn 1:35-42

Responding

The Psalm Response for this Sunday is the theme for all three readings. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

In the first reading, young Samuel was asleep when God called to him. Thinking it was the priest Eli, Samuel went to him saying, “Here I am.  You called me.” The third time this happened Eli realized it was God calling Samuel so he told him to respond with, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect. In the second reading, Paul warns us about the use of our bodies because we are not separate from God. As baptized followers of the Christ, we embrace the call to be a disciple. In the gospel reading, the first apostles respond to the person of Jesus and follow him.

The young Samuel sets an example for us today. We might not receive direct divine communication from God, yet we sometimes have inspirations to visit a sick friend, to donate to a worthy cause, or to take time for prayer. We need to be attentive to these urgings and recognize God’s voice in our lives. Listening to the homily and making the message our own is another way to listen to God’s voice. (If the homily is truly a good reflection on the readings!)

Paul warns us against any sort of immorality when he tells us, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with him.” We are called to live holy lives as followers of the Christ. We respond to God’s call by the way we live our lives each and every day.

The gospel reading gives us a clear example of responding to the call from Jesus.

John [the Baptist] was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” — which translated means Teacher —, “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”

Andrew, one of the disciples of John the Baptist, follows Jesus. He becomes more excited about Jesus. “He first found his own brother Simon and told him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ — which is translated Christ —. Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas’ — which is translated Peter.” Andrew and Simon Peter become the first two of the apostles to respond to Jesus.

Jesus’ invitation to “come and see” underscores the meaning of the call to form a personal relationship with Jesus. This highlights the importance of each of us encountering Jesus firsthand and developing our own personal connection with him. A new calendar year is a good time to spend time reading the gospels in order to know Jesus better so we can be committed followers and respond to that call daily. Once we absorb the kindness, compassion, love and mercy so evident in the way Jesus interacts with the people of his day, we can better imitate his actions with those with whom we come in contact. Let our daily response be the same as Samuel’s. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

How does Andrew’s enthusiasm emphasize the transformative effect of encountering Christ in your own life?

How can you approach Jesus, spend time with Him, and share His presence joyfully, especially during 2024?