HOMILY: 2ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME / YR. B
THEME: Readiness to Do God’s Will
BY: Fr. Luke Ijezie
1Samuel 3:3-10,19;
Resp. Psalm 40:2,4,7-10;
1 Corinthians 6:13-15,17-20;
John 1:35-42.
Our basic consciousness as genuine believers is that we belong to God and that He has the right to use us as He wishes. So the true believer prays: Do with me whatever You will! Such consciousness makes one ever ready to do God’s will. But do we really do God’s will as we profess? With all the atrocities going on in our world, in our polity, in our society and in our families, can we really say we are ready for God’s will?
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God Himself makes His will known to us in diverse ways and calls us at one point or the other for special mission. Such mission can be in the religious or socio-political setting.
The readings of this second Sunday of the year invite us to dispose ourselves to answer the call and to offer ourselves completely to doing the will of God in every situation.
1. In the first reading from 1Sam 3:3-10,19, we find a classic story of divine call: the call of Samuel. The young boy Samuel learnt to recognize God’s call only through the agency of his human master. In life we need guides and mentors who help us to make the right decisions and proper uplifting encounters. Daily, we hear many voices, but through our guides we are able to move through the cacophony of voices, make disnctions and get the proper message. Samuel receives an essential lesson on how to listen and to distinguish. Listening is an act of self surrender to the other who speaks. Answering a call demands a disposition of listening which also leads to total adherence or obedience. The psalmist of today’s Psalm 40 caps it all when he sings: “Here am I, Lord: I come to do your will.” The psalmist pledges total adherence to the will of God who calls.
2. The total adherence to God who calls is also expressed on how we use our bodies. The second reading from 1Cor 6:13-15,17-20 reminds us that our bodies belong to God and are made solely for doing the will of God and not just for self-indulgence and carnal pleasure.
3. The Gospel text from John 1:35-42 shows how the first disciples of Jesus were called and how they surrendered to his will. The first two were originally the disciples of John the Baptist, but they immediately switched over to Jesus as soon as John identified Jesus to them as the promised Messiah: the Lamb of God. In life we need guides to show us the right way to follow and the right messages to adhere to. But it is not enough to hear of Jesus from others. One has to make a personal encounter of him. This is what happens, as Jesus formally invites them to come and see. They see and they stay with Him. Very interesting story! But it doesn’t end there. After the encounter, they become witnesses and missionaries to others. Andrew, one of the two goes to invite his brother, Simon, who comes and encounters Jesus and receives his own call. Again, Andrew acts as a guide to his brother, Simon. One interesting feature, here, is that every call is unique. The call of Simon Peter has its peculiar features as distinguished from the call of his brother Andrew and the other disciple.
4. As long as we live, God is ever calling us to deeper encounter with Him. Every one of these calls has within it a mission to offer ourselves to His service and to influence the lives of others for better. It is good to always ask oneself:
5. How does my life relate to God? What does God want of me in the present situation in which I am living? Am I really listening to Him? Or, am I rather distracted by other voices and by my own ambitions and desires? Have I the courage to carry out the mission God asks me to do for Him in this situation? Yes, God is ever speaking to us. He doesn’t need to come down physically to address us. Rather, He meets us every moment in our hearts and in our experiences and encounters with others and with His Church. That makes life very interesting. Even in very difficult moments and in very tragic situations, God never ceases to speak to us. That is why wise people regard every life experience as a call through which they enter into deeper, transforming encounters with God. Even in terrible situations, God always has a message for whoever cares to listen and interpret.
May the Spirit of God open our inner ears and hearts to hear God’s message in every situation and surrender to His will!
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