Daily Readings - Wed Jan 10 2018

First Reading - 1 Samuel 3.1-10, 19-20

¹Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli, and the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no manifest vision²Then it happened that, on a certain day, Eli was lying in his place. And his eyes had dimmed, so that he was unable to see³And so, to prevent the lamp of God from going out, Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was⁴And the Lord called Samuel. And responding, he said, "Here I am.⁵And he ran to Eli, and he said, "Here I am. For you called me." And he said: "I did not call. Return and sleep." And he went away, and he slept⁶And again, the Lord continued to call to Samuel. And rising up, Samuel went to Eli, and he said: "Here I am. For you called me." And he responded: "I did not call you, my son. Return and sleep.⁷Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not been revealed to him⁸And the Lord continued, and he called to Samuel still a third time. And rising up, he went to Eli⁹And he said: "Here I am. For you called me." Then Eli understood that the Lord had called the boy. And he said to Samuel: "Go and sleep. And if he calls to you from now on, you will say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ " Therefore, Samuel went away, and he slept in his place¹⁰And the Lord came, and stood, and he called, just as he had called the other times, "Samuel, Samuel." And Samuel said, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.¹⁹And Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell to the ground²⁰And all of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, knew Samuel to be a faithful prophet of the Lord

Gospel - Mark 1.29-39

Mark

Chapter 1

²⁹And soon after departing from the synagogue, they went into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John³⁰But the mother-in-law of Simon lay ill with a fever. And at once they told him about her³¹And drawing near to her, he raised her up, taking her by the hand. And immediately the fever left her, and she ministered to them³²Then, when evening arrived, after the sun had set, they brought to him all who had maladies and those who had demons³³And the entire city was gathered together at the door³⁴And he healed many who were troubled with various illnesses. And he cast out many demons, but he would not permit them to speak, because they knew him³⁵And rising up very early, departing, he went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed³⁶And Simon, and those who were with him, followed after him³⁷And when they had found him, they said to him, "For everyone is seeking you.³⁸And he said to them: "Let us go into the neighboring towns and cities, so that I may preach there also. Indeed, it was for this reason that I came.³⁹And he was preaching in their synagogues and throughout all of Galilee, and casting out demons

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of listening, faith, and mission. In the first reading from 1 Samuel, we encounter the young Samuel, who is called by the Lord while serving in the temple. Despite his initial confusion and the guidance of Eli, Samuel learns to recognize the voice of God and responds with openness and humility. This passage reminds us that God can speak to us in unexpected ways, even when we are young or inexperienced. Samuel’s willingness to listen and obey sets him on a path of faithfulness that will shape his life and the history of Israel. In the Gospel, we see Jesus embarking on his mission of healing and preaching. After healing Peter’s mother-in-law, Jesus spends the evening tending to the sick and casting out demons, demonstrating his compassion and power. The next morning, instead of staying in a place where he is celebrated, Jesus chooses to move on, explaining that he must preach to others. This passage highlights Jesus’ focus on his divine mission and his commitment to serving those in need. Like Samuel, Jesus listens to the Father’s will and acts with purpose, showing us that faith is not static but active and oriented toward serving others. These readings challenge us to examine our own lives. Are we like Samuel, open to hearing God’s voice, even when it comes unexpectedly? Or are we like the people in the Gospel, seeking Jesus for our own needs but perhaps hesitant to follow him on his mission? The moral lesson here is clear: faith is not just about believing; it is about responding. Like Samuel, we must say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening,” and then act with courage and humility. Like Jesus, we must be willing to move beyond our comfort zones to share God’s love and light with others. May we, too, grow in faith and fidelity, allowing God’s call to shape our lives and guide our actions.