Daily Readings - Sun Jan 17 2021
1 Samuel
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.
1 Corinthians
13Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.14And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.15Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.17But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
John
35Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;36And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!37And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.38Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?39He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.40One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.41He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.42And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of listening, responding to God’s call, and living as temples of the Holy Spirit. In the first reading, we hear the story of Samuel, a young boy who learns to recognize the voice of the Lord. Despite his initial confusion and the patience of Eli, Samuel comes to understand that God is speaking to him. This passage reminds us that God calls each of us, often in unexpected ways, and that we must cultivate the humility and openness to hear His voice.
In the second reading, St. Paul emphasizes the dignity of our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. He warns against using our bodies for sin, particularly fornication, because such actions harm not only our own bodies but also the Body of Christ. This teaching calls us to live with self-control and reverence for the gift of our bodies, remembering that we belong to God and are called to glorify Him in all we do.
The Gospel continues this theme of response and discipleship. John the Baptist points his disciples to Jesus, and they follow Him. When Jesus asks them what they are seeking, they respond with curiosity and openness, leading to an invitation to “come and see.” Andrew, in turn, brings his brother Peter to Jesus, who gives him a new name, signaling a new identity and mission. This passage reminds us that following Christ is not a solitary journey but one that draws others into the life of faith. Today, let us ask ourselves: Am I truly listening to God’s call? Am I living in a way that honors the Holy Spirit dwelling within me? And am I inviting others to encounter the Messiah, as Andrew did? May we respond to God’s call with faith, live with integrity as temples of the Holy Spirit, and share the joy of knowing Christ with others.