Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 307

Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth….
Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him,
not permitting any word of his to be without effect.
Thus all Israel from Dan to Beersheba
came to know that Samuel was an accredited prophet of the LORD.

I walked over to our chapel at Mount Saint Francis one afternoon recently. I was going to read Evening Prayer and spend a few extra minutes with the Lord. I found a dozen or more people in the chapel, with musical instruments, microphones, video-camera and a tall young fellow standing in front of the altar looking like a forlorn rock star. A woman explained they were taping a video with a Christian message.

A lot goes on at the Mount and I am, by God’s mercy, not in charge. I didn’t need to know whether their project had been vetted by our officers; nor did I need to complain about their lack of old fashioned respect for the Catholic sanctuary. I took my breviary and withdrew to another chapel.

I wonder how Eli the Judge felt when he saw another generation, in the person of Samuel, take his place. Did he suppose this kid will never get it? Did he think, despite his age, he still had a few good years left in him? Whatever he may have felt or thought, he realized in the middle of the night that the Lord and his people were moving on. If he had grown old after many years in God’s service, God had not.

He could also see the boy Samuel was ready. He had the right attitude of eager willingness. That's all anyone needs to serve the Lord well. Three times he had disturbed the old man’s sleep, mistaking the Voice of God for Eli. He needed only a word of advice, ““Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’”

There was a time when it seemed the Baby Boom generation was ready to seize the reins and guide the world into peace, love and joy. In the words of the great Romantic poet:

Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,
To be young was very heaven. William Wordsworth

Faith teaches each generation to take its place and play its part and step out of the way when the time comes. God is still in charge.

I don’t suppose I’ll see the Christian video that was made in our chapel. I read books, take still pictures and play cards. Perhaps the music will inspire some to search for the Lord in quiet sanctuaries like that of Shiloh and Mount Saint Francis.