2 nd Sunday Year B CHRIST CALLS US Allan Moss OMI ww.sjti.ac.za/resources_homily.html First Reading: 1 Samuel 3: 3-10, 19 Response: Here I am Lord! I come to do your will (Ps. 39) Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 39: 2, 4, 7-11 Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 6: 13-15, 17-20 Gospel: John 1: 35-42 The Gospel shows Jesus, before his resurrection, calling his apostles to follow him. He calls us today, as the Risen Lord, to follow him, no matter who we are and what we are doing. Follow me, follow me, leave your home and family, Leave your fishing nets and boats upon the shore. Leave the seed that you have sown, leave the crops that you have grown, leave the people you have known and follow me. The foxes have their holes, And the swallows have their nests, But the son of man has no place to lay down. I do not offer comfort, I do not offer wealth, But in me will all happiness be found. (Michael Crockett) Samuel heard God calling him in the night. This future prophet of God, heard God calling in the dark and he answers: Speak Lord your servant is listening (1 Sam.3:8). Samuel grew up (1 Sam.3:19), walking with the Lord and let no word of his fall to the ground (1 Sam.3:19). For us, it means leaving off our sinful ways and doing the will of God (Ps. 39:8), singing a new song, so to speak (Ps. 39:3), and delighting in the law of God (Ps. 39:8). Such is the attitude of a true disciple: Here I am Lord! I come to do your will (Ps. 39:8). Paul heard the Risen Lord call him on the road to Damascus. He ended up making a total commitment to the Lord, soul and body. Use your body for the glory of God (1Cor. 6:13). St. Paul says your bodies are members making up the body of Christ (1Cor. 6:13). Who is Christ? The Baptist proclaims him as the lamb of God (Jn.1:36), the apostles proclaim him as the Messiah which means the Christ (Jn. 1:41). We have found him (Jn.1:41) is the joyous apostolic proclamation and they lived and stayed with him (Jn. 1:39). If you would follow me, You must leave old ways behind You must take my cross And follow on my path. You may be far from loved ones, You may be far from home, But my father will welcome you at last.
Follow me, follow me, leave your home and family, Leave your fishing nets and boats upon the shore. Leave the seed that you have sown, leave the crops that you have grown, leave the people you have known and follow me. Scripture, as Word of God, speaks to everyone, in every age, everywhere. The call in the Gospel (John 1: 35-42) is to you and to me. Liturgy is where we behold the Lamb of God, and Christ looks hard at us (Jn.1:42). Here is a sacramental and living encounter with the Lord. Doctrine: Jesus Christ is the Messiah, true man and true God. Are we with the Baptist in recognizing him? Are we with the apostles in proclaiming our discipleship and truth of our lives? Witnessing as a disciple of Christ is a total commitment, soul and body. Use your body, says Paul, for the glory of God (1Cor.6:13). Show commitment and mission to the world. FOR THE CHILDREN Read how the apostles saw Christ and how he looked at his disciple (Jn. 1:35-42). Discuss how children can encounter the Lord today (especially in the Liturgy). Talk about the importance of our bodies and how we behave in witnessing to the Lord. Make some choices on how we are going to show our discipleship and commitment to God. FOR TEENAGERS (Shared Christian Praxis) My Present Action: Your Story and Vision: Church s Story: Church s Story and Your Story: What does being called by the Lord mean to you? How have you been responding to the Lord? What does the Church teach about discipleship? What role has the Church played in your life? Your Vision and Church s Vision: How do you see your mission and the Church. RCIA In the First Reading, are the vocations (calling) of two persons, viz. Eli s role as a priest and Samuel as a prophet. As a child, Samuel is unexpectedly called in the night. Eli, a priest, does not hear the voice of God. As high priest he has seemingly failed in his vocation, whereas Samuel lived to be a prophet. Listen to the voice of God. Be a person of faith, for wherever God speaks or acts, his Spirit is at work (i) and God acts graciously i.e. a moment of grace. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that we are all called into the Kingdom.
This messianic kingdom is intended to accept men of all nations. To enter it, one must first accept Jesus word (CCC. 543). (i) DE ROSA. Peter. COME HOLY SPIRIT. The Life of God in the Life of Men. Fontana, Glasgow.1975. p.26. In his book, Peter De Rosa examines the action of the Holy Spirit and our calling. He reflects upon its images in the bible. The Dove appears at important moments of prayer, consecration and mission. Jonah, whose name means Dove, is a parable about God s People and its mission. Jesus began his ministry in the Jordan with the Holy Spirit coming down upon him like a dove. De Rosa explains the Spirit as Water. Jesus spoke about living water at Jacob s well. The Holy Spirit is Wind, breath of God breathed into creation and blows where it will. It overshadowed Mary at Jesus incarnation and breathes new life into us. It is a powerful Fire giving light as seen in the pillar of fire and burning bush. Jesus sees himself as coming to set the world on fire. It is a Spirit anointing prophets, priests and kings. Jesus is Christ, Anointed One. Pentecost is the fulfilment of the divine promise, giving first fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit. De Rosa concludes in showing the rich images of the Spirit in the Church s liturgy, where is divine encounter and the blessing of our mission. LIFE EXPERIENCE While studying for the priesthood, in South Africa, we Oblate students holidayed on the Natal South Coast for Christmas. One day a confrere and I went down to Uvongo, where I swam while he relaxed on the beach. Suddenly I was carried out by a strong current. I tried in vain to get out and then remembered what my brother, who was a lifesaver, taught me, if the current is too strong, don t swim against it. Let it take you out and it will eventually bring you back to shore in a gyre movement. My greatest fear was being carried out into shark-infested waters. Desperately I prayed and eventually what seemed a lifetime, I made it back to shore. My confrere was sitting comfortably on the beach watching me and mentioned how he envied me enjoying myself in the waves. He did not believe that I was panicking and praying for my life. It was an unforgettable experience; and I knew the Lord had heard my cry and saved me from the deep. Now he calls me to be his disciple. LITTLE ANGELINA Angelina, like Samuel in the Bible, is a laat lammetjie, meaning late lamb in Afrikaans, a child born in later years to parents. Like Samuel s parents, Angelina s are prayerful. Angelina s idea of prayer, however, is not exactly like Samuel s. His prayer was Speak Lord, your servant is listening (I Sam.3:8), Angelina s is Listen Lord, your servant is speaking, and like Anne of Green Gables, believes that God is in his heaven and sees and hears all things(i) including Anne s prayers. (i) MONTGOMERY Lucy Maude. Anne of Green Gables. The Modern Library, New York. 2008. p.287. Lucy Maude Montgomery portrays Anne as a little orphan adopted by an elderly couple. Originally, they wanted a boy who would grow to look after them. It did not take Anne long however, to win their hearts, being warm-hearted and with a lively imagination. She didn t care for her red hair and freckle face and hoped that she would change when she grows up. Though much given to her own opinions she was quick to learn. Her guardians trained her well domestically, and spiritually we may add when she learned to end her prayer with Amen instead of Yours respectfully. She grew from an awkward little girl into a budding teenager. Her opinion changed about her traditional enemy, Gilbert, the boy who teased her. We ve been good enemies she said, but we have decided it will be more sensible to be good friends. (p.287). And looking ahead, she says: My future seemed to stretch out before me like a straight road. I thought I could see along it for many a milestone. Now there is a bend in it. I don t know what lies around the bend, but I m going to believe that the best does. (p.283). IMPORTANT WORD: God s calling Disciples in the gospel get to know Jesus progressively, a walk of faith. First they see Jesus as Rabbi (Jn.1:38), then Messiah (Jn.1:41), and then Son of God (Jn.1:49). They will fully understand who he is only three years later, after his resurrection. We are called to be with the Risen Lord. This is where our discipleship begins, everything before is history.
Watchword: Here I am, since you called me (I Sam.3:8) Hebrew: Hineni ki-qara ta li. Greek: Idou ego hoti keklekas me. Latin: Ecce ego quia vocasti me. Portuguese: Eis-me aqui, porque tu me chamaste. French : Me voici, car tu m as appelé. Afrikaans: Hier is ek, want u het my geroep. Zulu: Ngilapha, njengokuba ungibizile. Xhosa: Ndim lo, ubundibiza. Sotho: Ke nna enwa; o mpitsitse! -o0o0o- Lesson 56: CATECHETICS CATECHESIS IN MODERN TIMES: BIBLE-BASED CATECHESIS Bible-based (Biblical) catechesis can be expedited in a number of ways. Here below are some practical suggestions: A) 7-STEP METHOD(i) 1 We invite the Lord. 2 We read the text. 3 We look at the text again. No preaching or discussing! What important words or phrases do we find? We read the text again. 4 We let God speak to us. Silence 2-5 minutes 5 We share what we have heard in our hearts. No preaching or discussing! 6 We search together. a. What does the Lord want us to do? b. How have we been living our WORD OF LIFE? Or c. What new Word will we take home? 7 We pray together. (i) Lumko Institute. No.19P of Series. Training for Community Ministries. Small Christian Communities. P.8. B) 5 P METHOD(ii)
1. PREPARE: Take your mind off, for the moment, from the cares of the world and all your problems. Just try to be still and quiet in the presence of God. Be still and know that I am God. 2. PICTURE: Read the passage carefully and if possible, visualize the scene of the text. Use your imagination. See and think about those involved, what they are doing and what they are thinking. 3. PONDER: Reflect about the event. What feelings arise in you? What does the passage mean to your life? 4. PRAY: about the things you read, pictured and pondered. Let your thoughts and feelings bring you closer to God who loves and cares for you. Be silent and let God take over and communicate with you. 5. PROMISE: Make a resolution to do something about what you have read and experienced through the text. Make God s Word come alive in your life. (ii) This 5-P Method is reprinted, with permission from creative catechist: A comprehensive, illustrated Guide for Training Religion Teachers, copyright 1991 by Janaan Manternach & Carl J. Pfeifer (Paper, 160 pp. U.S. $12.95), published by Twenty-Third Publications, P.O. Box 180, Mystic, CT 06355, Toll- Free: 1-800-321-0411. There are a There are a number of other methods as well, such as SEE, JUDGE, ACT ; LOOK, LISTEN, LOVE and so on. All can serve the purpose of Biblical-Catechesis if well understood and properly used. -o0o0o-