2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

January 18, 2015.

What are you looking for?
In December there was a reality series on TV called The Sisterhood, becoming a Nun. Five
young American women in their early to mid-twenties spent six weeks discerning what may be
their vocation in life. In this time of discernment they spent two weeks in each of three different
convents with Sisters of different orders. They lived the lives of nuns and followed the daily
routines of prayer, work and companionship with each other and with the sisters. When they had
finished the six weeks the girls returned home to their families.
One of the women decided that she needed more time to discern and was going to return to the
convent that she felt most comfortable at. Another decided to go back to work and to increase
her time of prayer and commitment to the church while trying to figure out what her true calling
was. A third decided to re connect with her boyfriend in the hopes of getting married and raising
a family. The final two asked permission to join two different congregations and were accepted
as postulants in the orders. They were seriously in love with Christ and were answering his call
to service as Religious Sisters.
When we think about vocations or a calling from God we always think about the priesthood and
religious life, but this series confirms that our vocations can be diverse. Most of the families
were receptive and supportive however some of the parents were unsure, surprised and
overwhelmed with the decisions of their daughters, this just wasnt what they had planned for
their children.
The Sisterhood fits so well into todays Mass because the first reading and the Gospel talk
about vocation and Gods call. To say there are no vocations now is simply not true. I saw it in
The Sisterhood, attendance at our seminaries is on the rise, and vocations other than religious
callings are evident in people all around us. We are all called by God to be something, and to do
something for others with our lives and our God given gifts.
Samuel in the first reading was called by God three times and did not know who was calling him.
The fourth time he was ready to respond, ready to listen. He grew up and let no word of Gods
fall to the ground, in other words he continued to listen carefully to what God was saying and he
passed that on to others because he knew that Gods word was never to be kept to ourselves.
God is always calling us, but do we take the time to listen to what he is trying to say?
The Gospel is also about a calling. John the Baptist tells two of his disciples; Look, here is the
Lamb of God!, and both of them become followers of Christ. Like John, our task is also to point
out Jesus to others, and then let them go, allowing them to follow Jesus in the way they feel
called, not in the way we would choose for them.
Out of curiosity Johns two disciples approach Jesus and he asks them: What are you looking
for? Today God is asking us the same question. What are we looking for? Most times we
think we should be asking that of him, but he also wants to know what we want. What are the
desires of our hearts? Where do we feel we are being called? These answers are more for our
benefit than his. How we answer these questions tells God of our real priorities with regard to
him and the people all around us. So what are we actually looking for from God in our life? Its
not an easy question to answer but if we are sincere and answer truthfully it tells us where we
really are. Its a question that we will need to ask ourselves over and over again as we pass
through different stages in our life.

Interestingly the disciples answer Jesus with a question of their own. Where are you staying?
They didnt want to know where his house was or who he was living with, they wanted to know
much more. What they were in fact asking was: Jesus where can we find you? Where must we
go to be with you? Where in our lives do we encounter you? What are you all about? If these
were our answers to his question of What are you looking for? we would be doing very well.
Jesus answers: Come and See! He was not telling them where he lived; he was inviting them
into his very being. He was teaching them who he really was. They were fortunate because
they came to know Jesus first hand. Were not so lucky, Jesus isnt physically beside us like our
parents, siblings and friends are. We come to know him through prayer, the Eucharist, and good
works. We also learn about him through sacred scripture, however, we can read books like the
Catechism from front to back and still not know Jesus. Knowing him comes from taking a plunge
into his teachings, trying them out even when it goes against what most people think. Knowing
him comes from loving unconditionally, from turning the other cheek, from forgiving, from
suffering abuse and ridicule for what we do and believe. It comes from following him.
In the Gospel today were told that two of Johns disciples accept the invitation of Jesus to Come
and See and we also learn the result of that invitation? Andrew not only becomes a committed
follower, but in great excitement he finds his brother Simon and tells him: We have found the
Messiah! Simon who becomes St. Peter also joins them as a follower of Jesus, an apostle and
eventually the leader of a new community. Even though he would have an important role in the
future of the Church, he was not directly called by Jesus. His calling came through his brother.
This kind of call happens again and again. You know the old saying: If you want someone to
join you, ask them!
Everyone, even the saints were called by someone who led them to Christ. Each one of us was
led to Jesus by others, maybe a parent, friend, or relative or maybe a spouse or a co-worker. By
our example in word and deed perhaps we have also led and are in fact leading others to Christ.
Christian vocation in life firstly demands that we be in a personal relationship with Jesus and his
people, if so, Jesus will direct us to what we are truly seeking.
So what then is our vocation?
Is it like the young women that I mentioned at the beginning of my homily, spending time in a
Convent?
Or is it men in a Seminary trying to discern a call to the priesthood?
Is it spending time praying for those who are discerning a religious vocation?
Is it living a life of service to others who need our help?
And what is God calling us to do and to be, right now, today?
Are we truly in a listening mode to hear what he has to say?
Are we taking the time to pray, quietly trying to listen and understand what hes asking of us?
Are we living our life as an example to others? If so we need to look around and be attentive to
those who are waiting for us to bring them to Jesus.
No matter what our vocation or calling may be there is always someone out there, someone in
our lives, someone touched by us who is waiting for our invitation to: Come and See?