This Sunday the Christmas decorations are gone, the manger scene is boxed up neatly on the shelf, and we break out the green vestments that heralds the coming of Ordinary Time. Part of me misses the pomp and beauty of the Christmas Season and another part of me is thankful to return to the Ordinary.
But is it really ordinary?
The readings from this Sunday speak of the calling of the little child who would one day be a great prophet in Israel. Samuel hears a small voice crying out his name as he tries to go to sleep. The wise priest Eli realizes that what Samuel is hearing is the voice of God. Samuel speaks up as Eli instructed him and the famous phrase, he replies with is, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”
In the Gospel, we hear the same voice speaking to those wondering about where Jesus lives. He replies to them to come and see. He even speaks the famous proclamation over Simon that he will be called Cephas, better known in English as Peter. Peter answered the call to come and see and he would spend the next 3-5 years following Jesus around, learning everything he could from him.
This Sunday is anything but Ordinary. We are called by the readings of our Holy Scriptures the call to listen, to obey, and to follow the path to God. Far too often we allow the din the world around us to drowned out the still small voice of the Divine. We allow ourselves to be so busy that we cannot follow the path to righteousness. And sadly, if we continue that path then one day we will stand before God ashamed of the life we lived.
Today is our chance to answer the call like little Samuel did. We can call out to God, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” We can follow Jesus and “Come and see.” We can transform our lives into being true “followers of the Christ” and not just Christians. Wouldn’t that be amazing?
Pax et Bonum,
Bishop Greer