God Called Samuel Within The Temple

 

God’s call is the show of His love for us.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B, January 14th, 2024
Texts: 1 Samuel 3:3-10.19; Psalm 40:2,4,7-10; 6:13-15.17-20; John 1:35-42 

God called Samuel while he was lying down in the temple where there was Ark of God. St. Paul tells us, in today’s second reading, that we are temples. He says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God?” While God called Samuel within the temple, Holy Spirit calls us within our bodies, the living temples of God. This tells us that God does speak to us from within.  

Samuel lived in the temple because he was given to God; we are temples because Christ has paid the price for our souls. St. Paul says, “You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” Hence, our bodies belong to the Lord. St. Paul says, “The body is not meant for immorality, but for the  Lord, and the  Lord for the body.” We are to glorify God in our bodies.
Calling of Samuel within the temple also speaks of God’s call from the church.

God’s call is the show of His love for us

As the Church bears witness to Christ we continue to hear the call of God and respond to Him. Hence, in today’s gospel reading, we read, “John was standing with two of his disciples; and he looked at  Jesus as he walked, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed  Jesus.” We also see this in the guidance Eli provided for Samuel.  

God’s call is the show of His love for us. It affirms God’s relation with us at personal level. He becomes real and present to us as a person when He calls. He speaks to us as a person and in the language we understand. Speaking a meaningful and coherent word is an attribute of a person. 

God also expresses His interpersonal relationship

God does not only present Himself as a person when He calls, He also expresses His interpersonal relationship. This is clear when Eli instructed Samuel to answer God should He call again. In his words: "Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, Speak,  Lord, for your servant hears."  

When God calls, He wants us to answer. We read, “And the  Lord came and stood forth, calling as at other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant hears.’" As He hears us when we answer His call, He also hears when we pray to Him. God’s call proves that He is neither dumb nor deaf.  

We also see in the call of Samuel that God calls everyone by name. In His own words: “But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1). God knows us by name.  

Prayer 

Almighty ever-living God, who govern all things, both in heaven and on earth, mercifully hear the pleading of your people and bestow your peace on our times. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke