“Here I Am Lord” by “Sam” Miller

“Here I Am Lord” by “Sam” Miller

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time

Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth. So he said to Samuel, "Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening." 1 Samuel 3:8b-9a

USCCB Daily Readings:

…but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, "Behold I come."
Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
"In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
to do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!" Psalm 40:7b-9

USCCB Bible:

Sacrifice and offering you do not want;

you opened my ears.

Holocaust and sin-offering you do not request;

8so I said, “See; I come

with an inscribed scroll written upon me.

9I delight to do your will, my God;

your law is in my inner being!” Psalm 40:7b-9

But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17

John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God." The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" — which translated means Teacher —," where are you staying?" John 1:35-38

Piety

"Spirit of the Living God" by Daniel Iverson (The UM Hymnal, No. 393)

“Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me” and help me be open – heart, eyes & ears – to hear You and feel Your presence within me.

Study

Even small differences can have a huge effect. Take today’s first reading from 1 Samuel, we had the same reading on Wednesday the 10^th, with slight differences. Today we weren’t told that “a revelation of the Lord was uncommon and vision infrequent” as we had been informed on Wednesday. In reflecting on today’s reading alone, I was heading in a different direction. Was I supposed to or was it inspired that I attended Mass yesterday and received further information/revelation?

In this case, I’m thankful that I can’t un-hear what I heard or un-see what I saw because it enables me to more clearly express my thoughts. (Here’s an image for you of my present state of mind: I’m standing in the center/core of a tornado watching all these thoughts and words whirl around me as blurry objects which must be picked out of the swirl for the wind to subside.)

Eli was blind but he was still God’s servant and mentor to Samuel. Eli knew the law of the Lord from days of old, which Samuel was learning from him. (Psalm 78:5-7 “God made a decree in Jacob, established a law in Israel: Which he commanded our ancestors, they were to teach their children; That the next generation might come to know, children yet to be born. In turn, they were to recount them to their children, that they too might put their confidence in God, and not forget God’s deeds, but keep his commandments.”) Eli knew the Lord was calling Samuel when the boy kept trying to answer Eli’s call. Eli told Samuel to answer differently so he could hear differently and receive the revelation of the Lord!

The slight differences I found between the USCCB Daily Readings and the USCCB Bible (‘cause I like to cite the verses I “picked out”) really spoke to me. The words “I come with an inscribed scroll written upon me… your law is in my inner being” allowed me to see how I am joined to the Lord and the Gospel’s “where are You staying?” is IN ME!!! It’s not just tucked under my arm, it’s IN ME!!! His law is IN ME; I, by my acknowledging my Lord, am joined to Him; He is staying IN ME!! Another, different arrangement of those two words, Jesus is MINE!!! (Now, THAT was inspired!!)

Action

To aspire daily, to show proof, that Jesus is IN ME, MINE!!