SPEAK, LORD, WE ARE LISTENING 

In today’s first reading God keeps calling out in the night to a sleeping boy. Neither the boy, Samuel, nor his teacher, Eli, understands who is calling. But God’s persis-tence convinces them. Samuel is then ready—not ready yet to do anything, but ready to listen. “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10).

In the Gospel Jesus is out teaching. Various people notice him and begin to gather around. They soon be-come disciples and, like the young Samuel, are ready—not ready yet to do anything, but ready to listen. “Speak,” they say, “we are listening.”

God’s voice is always with us, awake or asleep. It swirls around us like fog on a waterfront, enveloping us, gently urging us to wake up, to listen. Awareness of the voice comes first; then willingness to listen; then, in time, the decision to act, to live according to God’s word. Let’s ask today for the ability to keep our ears open so we don’t miss God’s voice.