＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19

Samuel lay in the house of Yahweh

Near the Ark of God. then Yahweh called, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “I am here!”and ran to Eli saying,”I am here, did you not call me?” But Eli said, “I did not call. Go back to sleep.” So he went and lay down.

Then Yahweh called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel stood up and went to Eli saying, “You called me; I am here.” But Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep.”

Samuel did not yet know Yahweh; and the word of Yahweh had not yet been revealed to him. But Yahweh called Samuel for the third time; and he went again to Eli saying, “I am here for you have called me.”

Eli realized that it was Yahweh calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you again, answer: “Speak, Yahweh, your servant listens.” Then came and stood there calling “Samuel! Samuel!” as he did before. And Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant listens.”

Samuel grew. Yahweh was with him and make all his words become true.

 

Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10(8a, 9a)

Here am I , Lord; I come to do your will.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

 The body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord is for the body. And God who raised the Lord, will also raise us with his power.  Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? And you would make that part of his body become a part of a prostitute? Never! On the contrary, anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

Avoid unlawful sex entirely. Any other sin a person commits is outside the body but those who commit sexual immorality sin against their own body.  Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, given by God? You belong no longer to yourselves. Remember at what price you have been bought and make your body serve the glory of God.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

John 1:35-42

 On the following day John was standing there again with two of his dis­ciples. As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and said, “There is the Lamb of God.” On hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus.

 He turned and saw them following, and he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They answered, “Rabbi (which means Master), where are you staying?” Jesus said, “Come and see.” So they went and saw where he stayed and spent the rest of that day with him. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.

 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard what John had said and followed Jesus. Early the next morning he found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means the Christ), and he brought Simon to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon, son of John, but you shall be called Cephas” (which means Rock).

 

Gospel Reflection：

Read:

The people were eager to have their children blessed by Jesus. This vexed the disciples who must be thinking that children are less important than adults because basically, they are non-entities. Jesus showed His special care and concern for the little ones by rebuking His disciples and welcoming the little ones with embrace and blessing.

Reflect:

Many have the tendency to put less premium on little things. They immediately go for the big things, those that attract attention immediately. For them, bigger is better. The disciples perhaps want only to maximize Jesus’ time by giving access only to those who could add up to His reputation.

And definitely, children are just nuisance. But Jesus has none of this preoccupation of the world. He values the little things and give them extra care and attention. And so on that particular day, the disciples come to know that the little things in life matters.

Respond:

From the little acorn seed comes the mighty oak tree. May we attend to little things that surround our life for we do not know the potentialities they contain within.