“HERE I AM, LORD; FOR YOU CALLED ME. I COME TO DO YOUR WILL
(1Sam 3:8. Ps 39: 8-9).”
In the First Book of Samuel 3: 1-10, Samuel recounts his vocation. He was sleeping in the temple of the Lord when he heard Our Lord calling him. Thinking it was, Eli who was calling him, Samuel run towards Eli who was already asleep, saying: “Here I am for you have called me.” Eli responded: “Go back to sleep.” This occurred three times, and on the third time, “Eli understood that the Lord was calling the youth. So Eli 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. Thus all Israel from Dan to Beersheba came to know that Samuel was an accredited prophet of the Lord.”
“HERE AM I, LORD; I COME TO DO YOUR WILL (1Sam 3:8).”
Samuel’s prompt and obedient response to God’s will, to his vocation is an example for each one of us to follow. Many times during the day we hear Our Lord’s voice in different ways: in our personal prayer; in our conscience which encourages us to carry out a good action or avoid an evil one; through God’s instruments when they advise us to do a virtuous action or to follow certain steps in the course of our life…but the response to all these divine inklings boils down to our own free choice.
Let us not forget what Our Lord said:
“Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” Mk 3:35
Dear friends, may we have the same obedient and prompt reply as that of Samuel to do what God asks us to do out of love. It is also a great occasion for us to pray daily so that many men and women would generously respond to their divine vocation to holiness in the specific path to which God calls them: priesthood, religious consecration, lay apostolic celibacy or through married life.
Let us tell God many times during the day: “HERE AM I, LORD; I COME TO DO YOUR WILL (1Sam 3:8).” “FOR YOU HAVE CALLED ME (Ps 39:9).” and ask the help of Our Lady so that, we may be able to have a prompt, obedient and generous response to God’s calling: FIAT! Be it done to me according to thy word!
Cordially inviting you to visit and like our FB page in www.facebook.com/CatholicsstrivingforHoliness or sign-up to our website,www.catholicsstrivingforholiness.com, so we can have a wider apostolic reach and thus help more people in their Christian life. Thanks! Fr. Rolly A.
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