Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-31) - Here I Am

Dearest Goddaughter,

In today's first reading, we hear these words from Samuel to God: “Speak, for your servant is listening.” These are important words to reflect on in our lives. God is always speaking to us. He whispers in our hearts. He shouts at us through our parents, loved ones, or friends. He guides us on the right paths through the circumstances of our lives (the good and the bad) or through those who are in our lives.

We live in a world that is go-go-go from one thing to the next. We are bombarded with text messages, email notifications, social media posts, etc., that there seem to be no down or quiet time. The weekends that I like the most are those that I can stay at home, read a book, and spend some time listening to God. However, sometimes that is not possible, which is why (for me), I go to daily Mass every morning at Saint Mary Cathedral. I spend that 30-45 minutes in prayer, conversing with God and taking the time to grow in my relationship with Jesus and his Mother Mary.

In the busyness of modern life, we certainly need to practice the pause and listen to God speak to us, saying to Him: "Speak, Lord, I am listening." In other words, we have to do what Jesus did in today's Gospel, he went to a quiet place and prayed. This is so important for our mental health, emotion well-being, and spiritual growth. So, remember, you can never be busier than Jesus was nor is your work more important than Jesus' mission that his Father gave him. Therefore, if Jesus can find time in his busy day to pray and talk with his Father in heaven, then so can we.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: 1 Sm 3:1-10, 19-20 (below) and Mk 1:29-39.

. . .

During the time young Samuel was minister to the LORD under Eli,

a revelation of the LORD was uncommon and vision infrequent.

One day Eli was asleep in his usual place.

His eyes had lately grown so weak that he could not see.

The lamp of God was not yet extinguished,

and 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 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.