14-JAN-'24, Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 65

Reading 1

1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19

Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD

where the ark of God was.

The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, "Here I am."

Samuel ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me."

"I did not call you, " Eli said. "Go back to sleep."

So he went back to sleep.

Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli.

"Here I am, " he said. "You called me."

But Eli answered, "I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep."

At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD,

because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet.

The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time.

Getting up and going to Eli, he said, "Here I am. You called me."

Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth.

So he said to Samuel, "Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply,

Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening."

When Samuel went to sleep in his place,

the LORD came and revealed his presence,

calling out as before, "Samuel, Samuel!"

Samuel answered, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him,

not permitting any word of his to be without effect.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10

R. (8a and 9a) Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

I have waited, waited for the LORD,

and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.

And he put a new song into my mouth,

a hymn to our God.

R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

Sacrifice or offering you wished not,

but ears open to obedience you gave me.

Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;

then said I, "Behold I come."

R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

"In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,

to do your will, O my God, is my delight,

and your law is within my heart!"

R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

I announced your justice in the vast assembly;

I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.

R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

Reading II

1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20

Brothers and sisters:

The body is not for immorality, but for the Lord,

and the Lord is for the body;

God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power.

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?

But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with him.

Avoid immorality.

Every other sin a person commits is outside the body,

but the immoral person sins against his own body.

Do you not know that your body

is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you,

whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

For you have been purchased at a price.

Therefore glorify God in your body.

Alleluia

John 1:41, 17b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

We have found the Messiah:

Jesus Christ, who brings us truth and grace.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

John 1:35-42

John 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."

So they went and saw where Jesus was staying,

and they stayed with him that day.

It was about four in the afternoon.

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter,

was one of the two who heard John and followed 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.

Reflection 1

Catholic Daily Reflections

Being a Witness of Christ

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed 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. John 1:40–42

Andrew was a follower of Saint John the Baptist until John directed him to Jesus. One day John saw Jesus walk by and pointed to Jesus, telling Andrew and another disciple, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” The two disciples followed after Jesus. After spending the day with Jesus, Andrew was so impressed that the next day he excitedly went to find his brother, Simon Peter, to tell him about Jesus. As is mentioned in the passage above, he enthusiastically tells Peter, “We have found the Messiah.” Then, once Peter meets Jesus, Peter also becomes His disciple.

A similar experience occurs between the brothers Philip and Nathanael (see John 1:43–51). Jesus calls Philip to follow Him, and he does. After coming to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, Philip goes to tell his brother Nathanael that he has found “the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets.” Nathanael believes and follows our Lord. Thus, a series of conversions began after John the Baptist gave testimony that Jesus was the “Lamb of God.”

Though we can be certain that Jesus did not need the testimony of John the Baptist to convert Andrew, nor the testimony of Andrew to convert Simon Peter, nor the testimony of Philip to convert Nathanael, this is how it happened. Jesus chose to use these three to bring about the conversion of others.

In God’s divine plan of salvation, He regularly uses the mediation of others to bring forth the conversion of hearts. We see this on many levels. First and foremost, He uses our Blessed Mother as the Mediatrix of Grace to bring forth His grace upon us all. She is the instrument and Jesus is the source. Through her mediation, there are other saints who act as intercessors. And there are countless angels who also act as distributors of God’s grace and mercy. God is the source of all but uses the heavenly hosts to bring forth His grace upon us all.

The same is true within our earthly existence. In addition to the numerous angels and saints who act as intercessors and mediators, God uses each one of us to bring about His Kingdom here and now in the lives of many. Every time we speak God’s words or witness to God through our actions, we become instruments of God’s mercy. And if we fully commit ourselves to the divine will, there are many who will be converted by God’s grace through us.

Reflect, today, upon the holy and sacred calling you have received to act as a mediator of God’s infinite grace and mercy. First, think about the many people God wants to touch through you. Also think about the fact that those people might never be drawn to God if you fail to act. God can do all things and touch many people in varied ways, but the fact remains that He does want to use you for His mission. Say “Yes” to that mission so that you, like many others, will share in the glorious calling of being an intercessor and a mediator of God’s grace.

Reflection 2

One Bread, One Body

WHO OWNS YOU?

“Shun lewd conduct.” —1 Corinthians 6:18

The sexual revolution has produced disastrous consequences in so many ways. Individual lives have been ravaged. Society has suffered serious moral decline. Marriage and family have been redefined far from God’s original plan. Birth rates have fallen to the point that there are not enough workers to fill the demands of labor. The tug and lure of our human passions are already strong enough without adding sexual pressures from society at large (see Jas 1:14; 4:1; 1 Jn 2:16). When we stoke that passion by watching “entertainment” or listening to music which promotes immorality and fans the flames of our human lusts, we are in effect loading bullets into the chamber of Satan’s gun pointed at our heart.

How can we overcome these passions? Make a covenant with your eyes and ears (see Jb 31:1). Stop listening to and stop watching immoral entertainment. Let God take custody of your eyes and heart (see Prv 4:23). Think only of holy and good things (Phil 4:8). Beg the Lord for the Holy Spirit, Who fights against the flesh (Gal 5:17). Go to the Lamb of God in Mass often, even daily.

“The Lord is for the body” and the body (including our eyes, ears, skin, and mind) “is for the Lord” (1 Cor 6:13). Our bodies, minds, and desires do not belong to us; Jesus has purchased us at the price of His own blood (1 Cor 6:20). If you don’t give yourself to the Lord Jesus, Satan will make himself at home in you instead (see Lk 11:24-26). There is no neutral ground in the “body battle.” Give your body and your life to the Lord.

Prayer:  Father, this is my body, to be given up for You.

Promise:  “To do Your will, O my God, is my delight, and Your law is within my heart!” —Ps 40:9

Praise:  “All this I tell you that My joy may be yours and your joy may be complete” (Jn 15:11). We rejoice in You, risen Jesus!

Reflection 3

By Cindy Costanzo

Creighton University's College of Nursing

The first reading 1 Samuel 3: 3b-10, 19; provides a beautifully written reminder on the importance of finding a time during the day or night to be intentionally with God. Samuel says it so well “Speak, for your servant is listening”.  Eli assisted Samuel in recognizing God’s call, then “Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him”. The Gospel reading John 1:35-42 reminds me of the many mentors in life who often show us the way. Especially how to spend more time with God and to follow God.

Spending time in prayer with God has made a significant difference in my life. The times I have carved away for prayer, to be quiet and listen have provided an opportunity to deepen my relationship with God. My choices, my friends, where I have worked, who I married, where I sent my children to school, what I do for entertainment, how I worship; basically all that I do has been impacted because of my prayer time with God.  The more time in prayer the more time I yearn. I have found these practices so valuable in my ability to hear/recognize God’s voice and feel God’s presence. 

While I was raising my children I found many different ways to spend time with God.  Often ‘multi-tasking’ i.e. getting ready for work in the morning and taking a few moments to pray; getting up an hour earlier in the morning and quietly praying until it was time to get the kids to school; on my way to work the radio was intentionally off and prayer conversations with God would occur. I chose to attend perpetual adoration at 12 midnight on Saturday nights. I was often exhausted but found the quiet time in the chapel a welcome end to the chaotic week. It was challenging and I did miss a few times but the 1 hour a week of quiet time was wonderful. A women’s prayer group once a month was lovely. Overall, I found the more time I spent quietly praying the more I wanted to…I devoted a special place in my home for prayer. My prayer space continues to be a place of refuge.

In this short narrative I have tried to describe over 40 years of time in which prayer time, place and space were different based on what I was facing in life. Most of these practices were role modeled by women and men who I call mentors in my prayer journey. I have found all of these practices so valuable in my ability to hear God’s voice and feel God’s presence. As I begin 2024 I am finding new ways for my daily prayer practices and am confident these practices will continue to deepen my relationship with God.

Prayers

Most glorious Lord, You are abundantly generous in Your grace and mercy and desire to bestow Your love on all people. Please use me for Your divine mission of evangelizing the world. I say “Yes” to You, dear Lord. Use me as You will. Jesus, I trust in You.

Lord Jesus Christ, fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit that I may grow in the knowledge of your great love and truth. Let your Spirit be aflame in my heart that I may joyfully seek to do your will in all things.

Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy

Reflection 14: True Satisfaction Only Through Mercy

So often in life we seek satisfaction from the passing things of the world. Be it riches, fleshly pleasure, prestige, or anything else, we must come to discover that one thing and one thing alone satisfies. The Divine Mercy of God is what we seek. Everything else is an illusion of satisfaction.  If we try to satisfy our souls with other things, we will be left in interior sadness, anguish and disillusion. The Mercy of God keeps calling out and inflicts a sweet pain until we respond (See Diary #8).

Reflect upon the “sweet pain” inflicted upon your soul every time you try to find satisfaction in something other than God’s Mercy.  It’s “sweet” because it’s a rebuke of love from God calling us to trust only in His Mercy.  It’s “painful” in that we should allow ourselves to see clearly that attachment to anything not of God does not sit well in our soul.  Every attachment to things outside of God’s Mercy will ultimately be experienced as a burden.

Lord, may I allow myself to feel and experience Your Mercy calling me to turn from all that is not of You.  Help me to run to Your Mercy in all things and to turn from those things that ultimately weigh me down and are painful and burdensome.  Jesus, I trust in You.