Father Thomas Welbers' Homily	Jump back to Homily Index
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 19, 2003	Listen to Audio

During Advent and Christmas seasons, we’ve been listening a great deal to Isaiah in the first reading, and reflecting on his role as the prophet of hope and restoration at the time of the exile and captivity, five hundred years before Christ. In today’s first reading, we go back more than five hundred years earlier, before the time of David or King Saul. We find that the story of the great Kings in Israelite history begins with a small boy, Samuel, receiving a call to be the Lord’s prophet. The word “prophet” does not mean “one who foretells the future.” It means “one who speaks for another,” one called by the Lord to speak his word.

In the future, Samuel would be the one to do a great work, to choose and anoint the kings at the Lord’s command. Now we see him as a small boy, living under the tutelage of an aged prophet, Eli. The simple story we heard in the first reading has a very homey feel, and in its simplicity conveys more by what it does not say than by what it does.

Samuel hears himself being called by name, and when he realizes it is God calling, he simply says, as instructed by Eli, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” Notice that this reading does not include what God said or wanted Samuel to do – that’s not important for us. What’s important is the obvious message that God first wanted Samuel to listen. Work would come later – and it was a great mission that God had in mind for him much later. Now, he must simply listen.

Similarly in the Gospel reading, Jesus answers the two fledgling disciples’ inquiry with a simple, “Come and see.”

That response is not satisfying to us. We want answers to our questions. We want satisfaction. We want action. Jesus says, “Look,” Listen,” “Come.”

But we are not happy with that. In fact our agitated quest for him often blinds us to where he really is, deafens us to his voice speaking quietly our name. Yet so much depends on our seeing and finding him, on our hearing and following him. Where do we look? How do we hear?

Scripture and the whole Christian tradition is very clear, we see Jesus in the least of his brothers and sisters, we hear him in the cry of the poor and oppressed. This is not news; we’ve heard this before. But it is something we need to keep reminding ourselves. It is so easy to become preoccupied about other things, including things we believe are the Lord’s work, that we forget about the basics –and the basic truth for a follower of Christ is this: if we don’t see him in the eyes of the least of his brothers and sisters, we won’t see him anywhere else.

Why is this? Does this make sense? It does if we realize that we are members of Christ’s body, and as members of the same body, our own well being is intimately linked to the well being of others. And, as St. Paul reminds us in the second reading, all are enlivened by the same Holy Spirit.

As members of the one body of Christ, we are asked to look beyond ourselves and to return something of what God has given us and our own parish to help other communities who share the same life of Christ in the Spirit with us. Tomorrow morning, Father Ray Farré and Sister Angélica of Santa Teresita parish and school in East LA are going to speak at all the morning Masses. At Santa Teresita both parish and school receive subsidy assistance from Together in Mission. It is located in one of the poorest areas of Los Angeles, almost in the shadow of USC-County General Hospital. Because of your generosity to Together in Mission, both the parish and school are able to keep hope alive where there is much cause for despair, to provide a quality education where few choices are available to families. Our parish and school have also adopted Santa Teresita as our “sister parish and school,” which helps to “put a face” on the people we help. In this way, we can both benefit from mutual contact and engagement in common programs and projects. In fact, at the end of Catholic Schools week, on Friday, January 31, the children of Santa Teresita School will join with our school children in a day of prayer, sharing, and fun. Father Ray and I will together celebrate Mass with the children, and Bishop Gabino Zavala will come to greet and welcome them.

Santa Teresita is one of 30 parishes and 44 schools that will receive help from Together in Mission this year. You can read more about some of these parishes and schools, and the work that is done in the tabloid bulletin insert and the brochure in the pews. It is important to note that all money collected in this campaign is restricted to the use for which it is given – the assistance of these parishes and schools. Many people are concerned about whether any of this money could be used for other purposes, such as legal settlements. The answer is no. The need of these parishes is great, and because of the clear purpose of the campaign and the clear intention of you, the donors, this money is restricted to assisting these parishes and schools.

Please take the bulletin insert and brochure home with you and read them. This week, you will receive a mailing with a pledge card, if you have given to Together in Mission in the past. I ask you to pray and to listen to the quiet, still voice of the Lord in your heart. I ask you to be willing to hear and heed the Lord’s invitation to “come and see,” by reflecting seriously upon what kind of pledge the Lord is asking you to make. Please come prepared next weekend to make your commitment, for the glory of the Lord and the good of his people.

© Thomas Welbers, 2003