Second Sunday after the Epiphany: January 15, 2006.

1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)

Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

John 1:43-51

First Reading

In many ways, this story in 1 Samuel is filled with contradictions. First, the entire story is about God speaking to a young boy--repeatedly, patiently--in a time when "the word of the Lord was rare" and "visions were not widespread." These remarks highlight that what we are about to read is an unusual occurrence, and, for that reason, the events of this story are special and worthy of particular attention.

Second, Eli is a priest of the Lord serving at the temple in Shiloh, at the time when the Ark of the Covenant was located there, but he seems to have lost his power and authority. In 1 Samuel 2 we read about Eli's two sons' licentious and corrupt behavior and their refusal to heed Eli's warning. Still, Eli refuses to punish them, even though their disrespect and contempt will be his downfall as well. Eli's blindness surely is a metaphor for his deeper inability to see the work and will of God at this stage in his life. (This "blindness" is also reflected in the fact that Eli mistakenly chastised Hannah for being drunk in the temple, when all she was doing was praying fervently to God for a child, a child God would indeed grant her, the child Samuel.)

Finally, the message God gives to Samuel is a message of judgment and doom spoken against the very priest Samuel serves. Samuel himself must have been filled with contradictory feelings. On the one hand, here is a sign that the Lord is with him and that he will be a prophet of the Lord. On the other hand, what a message he must deliver to Eli, the man who had raised him since he was a boy.

This text reminds us that God speaks to us often when we least expect it and with a word we do not always welcome. Often we want to stop our ears and pretend we do not hear God's voice; often, we do not want to follow God's will, preferring instead, like Eli, to do what we want when we want. Yet the promise from God is that when we accept God's word we will see great things, as Jesus promises Nathanael in the reading from John. Being open to receive God's word means that we must sometimes be quiet and stop our words; following God's word means that we must sometimes go where we do not want to go. This is never easy. But if we, like Nathanael, have the courage to listen to God's word and follow God's command, we will come to know the one who knew us while we were still in our mother's womb, and we, too, will see the great work of the Lord.

Pastoral Reflection

What stands out in both the Old Testament and the Gospel readings for today is the theme of "call," the importance of listening for God's call and following God's will. Pastors and other professionals in the church are accustomed to talking about discernment processes and "call," but many lay persons are not used to thinking about their occupations in terms of vocation. Many still tend to think that only professionals in ministry have "calls"; everyone else simply has a job and serves God by teaching Sunday school or assisting in worship.

These two "call" stories, however, remind us that it is not the particular choice of occupation that makes a call; rather, the will of God makes the call. God calls us to a wide variety of ministries in the world. It does not matter how old we are; God calls even the young. It doesn't matter how faithful we are; God calls even those on the fringes of our churches. And it doesn't matter what our past is or where we have come from; God calls us into the future God has prepared for us, a future in which we surely will see God at work in ways we could not have imagined.

Following God's call may take us to places we never dreamed we would go, into relationships we never thought we would have, and into unknown hardships and suffering. There is no use trying to pretend that discipleship does not require some sacrifices. Dietrich Bonhoeffer did not write so strongly against "cheap grace" for nothing! But when we are confident that God is at work in our lives and that we are doing the work God is calling us to do, we can rejoice even in the suffering, knowing that greater things are in store for us down the road. Jesus beckons Philip, "Follow me," and Philip in turn says to Nathanael, "Come and see." Two thousand years later, the Spirit is whispering those two commands in your heart as well. Will you listen? KJL