Today's first reading and gospel focus on seeking the Lord, or better, the Lord seeking us! Young Samuel hears his name called and is told by the wise Eli, to say "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening." (1 Sam 3:18). John's Gospel tells to story Andrew and John are listening to John the Baptist pointing out the "Lamb of God." Without words, they follow Jesus who asks the poignant question, "What are you looking for?" Their answer doesn't quite follow, "Where are you staying?" Jesus reply invites them to "Come and see." And they end up staying from four o'clock on...Is it odd that the precise time is given? Not so, when something of significance happens: we can describe where we were at the time of the 9/11 attack, for example.
These readings are often used at the beginning of a retreat, but certainly can apply to us each day: Come, see, listen, stay. Abide with Jesus; he invites us to abide with him. What happens during that time? Does anything practical result?
It's like the complaint that we often hear: "I've been going to Church for X number of years; I can't remember one sermon or homily. What good did it do? Here is one man's answer that might help us to see that time spent with Jesus in prayer or in church is not wasted.
"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked
some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire
menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this. They all
nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my
wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today.
Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be
spiritually dead today!" When you are DOWN to nothing..... God is UP to
something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and
receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual
nourishment!
Bro. Rene
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