Daily Readings - Wed Jan 10 2018

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

¹And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.²And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;³And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;⁴That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.⁵And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.⁶And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.⁷Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.⁸And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.⁹Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.¹⁰And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.¹⁹And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.²⁰And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.

Gospel - Mark 1.29-39

Mark

Chapter 1

²⁹And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.³⁰But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.³¹And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.³²And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.³³And all the city was gathered together at the door.³⁴And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.³⁵And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.³⁶And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.³⁷And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.³⁸And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.³⁹And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.

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.