Second Sunday in Ordinary time
1 Samuel 3: 3-10, 19;
1 Corinthians 6: 13-15, 17-20;
John 1: 35-42;
"Tell me what you want, what you really, really want" was the Spice Girls' debut album which became the fastest-selling record since the Beatles in the sixties. The emphasis was on girl-power, being able to hold on to your friends and fulfil your dreams, and, at the same time, being confident enough about what you want, and say so, loudly and clearly.
When Jesus asks the two disciples what they wanted, their answer doesn't come across very clearly, but they obviously do want to know more. Like Samuel, in today's first reading, they'd heard God's call and were ready to listen to what will be asked of them.
The people of Corinth in the second reading had also heard the call. But they had either forgotten, or not understood, that hearing wasn't enough. They're called to respond, even if it means changing their way of life completely. Jesus' call isn't something light and fluffy; it can be hard and make demands.
All of the readings remind us that people hear God's call and respond in different ways - Samuel hears it in the silent darkness of the night; Andrew hears it from the Baptist; Simon Peter hears it from Andrew. Some will be willing to jump up and tell others straightaway, some will ask to hear more before making a commitment; some will simply need a lot of reminders.
Every day, we hear hundreds of messages overloading us with demands and information designed to elicit a response. (av. American sees 3,000 adverts a day) while we know that Persil washes whiter, and Hovis is still made in the same good old-fashioned way.
God's message is different. What does it mean when He calls us? When Peter came face to face with the Messiah, the Gospel tells us that Jesus looked hard at him. What did He see? Excitement, faith, hope, trust, love, betrayal? What would Jesus see if He looked us straight in the eye and asked us what we wanted. And, perhaps, more importantly, how would we respond?
Sometimes we think that we're ready to listen to God's call. But too often we're distracted by other demands, or other things which we think we want. Are we really ready for that radical re-think of that way of life which the Gospel demands. Can we let go of that old way of life and, like the apostles, leave all things and follow Him in love and trust.
Have you ever thought about where you are now, and whether or not you would have followed the same path if you had known at the start? That's true for my life as much as yours. We may never be the rock that Jesus calls Simon Peter to be, but we still have a significant role to play. Our living with Him, allowing Him to touch our lives, is what will lead us into both understanding and action. It's all about having that trust in God and believing that He leads us, gives us the grace to follow the path which He's chosen for us and calls us to follow, sometimes, blindly, if necessary.