2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B

This Sunday, we celebrate the second Sunday of ordinary time. However, there is nothing “ordinary” in the strict sense of the word, but in fact, it is full of extraordinary events. Last Sunday, we celebrated the baptism of the lord, and today, we celebrate the calling of his first disciples. In order to arrive to this event, Holy Mother Church invites us first to reflect on the calling of Samuel in the Old Testament. 

 

In the first reading, Samuel was sleeping in the temple where the ark of the Lord was located. Samuel was not yet familiar with the Lord. Samuel believed Eli was calling him, but after the third time, Eli understood that it was God who was calling Samuel. After being called another time, Samuel replies, “Here I am Lord, your servant is listening.” But we must ask: what exactly is the calling of Samuel? What does God want from Samuel? Well, the answer simple: to be a prophet, to teach. To announce and proclaim God to all. To prepare for the coming of Jesus, for this was what the mission of the prophets. 

 

In the Gospel, we hear the calling of the first disciples. John, in seeing Jesus, acclaims “behold the lamb of God.” It was because of this that Andrew and Peter decide to follow Jesus for they believe Jesus is a teacher. Jesus invites them to follow him and they surely do for they “have found the messiah.” Jesus becomes their life without whom they could not live. And what is the reason for their calling? Again, to proclaim and spread the Gospel. To partake of the Mission of Jesus Christ during his life and after His death. 

 

Now, all of this perhaps sounds nice to us, but what is the invitation Jesus is extending for us today? Just as Samuel and the disciples, God is extending a calling to as well. But what is our calling? St. Paul, in the second reading, reminds us that we are a temple of the Holy Spirit. How? In virtue of the sacraments! And it is in the sacraments that we can find our calling. 

 

In baptism, we are cleansed of original sin and are incorporated into the mystical body of the church. In virtue of this, we “become sharers in Christ's priestly, prophetic, and royal office in [our] own manner. [We]are called to exercise the mission which God has entrusted to the Church to fulfill in the world.”  In other words, we are called to govern, teach, and sanctify no matter where we are. In confirmation, we are given the gifts Holy Spirit to strengthen us as we walk the path of the Lord. Here, we are called to partake of the mission of the Holy Spirit who guides and protects the church. In marriage, we are called to share the joy of our Christian vocation with your spouse and family and to help each other to arrive to eternal life. 

In Holy orders, we are called to protect and guide the people of God in their journey towards Him. It is in here where God continues to raise up new Samuels for the vineyard of the Lord. In confession, we are called to acknowledge that we are sinners and we called to ask for forgiveness. And more importantly, in the Eucharist, we are called to be intimately United with Him to the point where our lives should not be the same since we become one with Jesus Christ. It is in the Eucharist celebration where our Christian calling is renewed each time and purify through the paschal mystery.

 

 My friends, we also have a calling that we must accept and fulfill just as Samuel and the apostles. This calling can at times be difficult for Jesus Himself reminds us that we will be persecuted because of our faith in Him. However, we must get up and fight. I would like to conclude, then, with the words of Bishop Barron regarding our calling in the world, “Fight by entering the priesthood or religious life and live up to the dignity of your calling; fight by your very holiness of life, becoming the saint that God wants you to become; fight by doing a Holy Hour every day for the purification of the Church; fight by calling for real reform; fight by insisting that the guilty be held accountable; fight by doing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy; fight by evangelizing in your everyday life; fight by ordering your life according to the virtues; fight by playing your priestly role in the sacrifice of the Mass. And more to it, fight by sanctifying your family, your workplace, the market, the political arena, the world of high finance, the realms of sports and entertainment. In other words, be what the Church is supposed to be in the world.” It is in these words where we can find concrete things to fulfill our calling as sons and daughters of God. The question now is: will you accept the challenge?