Your Servant Is Listening

Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was. The Lord called to Samuel, who answered, "Here I am." Samuel ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me." "I did not call you," Eli said. "Go back to sleep." So he went back to sleep. Again the Lord called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli. "Here I am," he said. "You called me." But Eli answered, "I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep."

At that time Samuel was not familiar with the Lord, because the Lord had not revealed anything to him as yet. The Lord called Samuel again, for the third time. Getting up and going to Eli, he said, "Here I am. You called me." 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." When Samuel went to sleep in his place, the Lord came and revealed his presence, calling out as before, "Samuel, Samuel!" Samuel answered, "Speak, for your servant is listening." (First Book of Samuel 3:3-10)

In 1895, the Frenchman, Louis Lumiere, created a Cinematographe. Through his inspiration, he had found a way to meld a projector, film processing unit, and portable motion-picture camera into one. In reality, however, Lumiere's inspiration paved the way for Hollywood and an era of movie stars and silver screens. 

One of my favorite movies came in 1989 when Kevin Costner's Field of Dreams took the nation by storm. In that movie, an Iowa cornfield took center stage when middle-age farmer, Ray Kinsella, began hearing the voice. 

If you build it, He will come.

At first, only he was able to hear it. But before long, also his wife, daughter, and certain others. And perhaps that is the point. Not everyone could hear it; the voice, that is. But with some quiet, humility, and patience, the potential exists within each of us.

Some years ago, while taking a course at Detroit's Sacred Heart Major Seminary, I remember reading a book entitled, God Acts-We React, by Monsignor Thomas Rowland. Throughout the book, he explored a very simple but powerful idea:

God knows us and loves us and seeks nothing more than for us to enter into the depths of His love.

During that same course, my professor had given our class a rather painstaking assignment. Using Section Two of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we were to focus upon each paragraph and create a diagram indicating what God has done and the ways in which we have reacted. For those of you not readily familiar with the CCC, that section involves the Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church.  At the time, I felt as though her assignment was a bit cruel and monotonous. But as time passed, this semester-long project brought me great insights. I remember how God accompanied me on that journey. Surrounded by His presence, God's soft voice often interrupted my thoughts to remind me of His love.

Many of you may remember a quick definition of a Sacrament: an "outward sign of an inward reality." But if we stop there, we would be missing their essence. For in reality, the Sacraments are about Christ acting in His Church. By our reception of them, He speaks to us, melds us, heals us, and gives Himself to us. And in doing so, a relationship develops. As opposed to an academic or rote exercise, the Sacraments are truly moments of grace. And while we may not truly appreciate them in the present, they are like the leaves brustling against an October wind. God acts and comes to us. And when He does, His voice is unmistakable. 

Unlike Lumiere's Cinematagrophe, God's plan doesn't always fit into a ninety-minute screenplay; rather, His plan often plays out over a lifetime. He acts. And like Samuel, our task is to listen. And our reaction? Mindful of the way God ordinarily works, He is dependent upon you and me to help Him bring up the curtain.

Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.