The beautiful story of the calling of Samuel in the first reading hinges on one key element: Silence . Young Samuel hears a voice but doesn...
The beautiful story of the calling of Samuel in the first reading hinges on one key element: Silence. Young Samuel hears a voice but doesn't recognize it at first. It takes the guidance of Eli to teach him to listen. In the Gospel, we see Jesus rising very early before dawn and going to a deserted place to pray. Both readings remind us that we cannot hear God in the noise. Our world is terrified of silence; we fill every moment with podcasts, music, or scrolling. But God speaks in the whisper. We must cultivate silence to say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."
In the Gospel, Jesus enters Peter's house and encounters Sickness. Peter's mother-in-law is down with a fever. It’s a domestic scene, reminding us that Jesus cares about the headaches, the fevers, and the stresses of our family life. He approaches her, grasps her hand, and helps her up. He is not indifferent to our physical suffering. He enters our homes to bring healing and restoration.
But notice what happens immediately after the cure: Service. "The fever left her and she waited on them." She didn't stay in bed saying, "I need to recover." She used her renewed strength to serve. This is the pattern of the Christian life: we are saved to serve. If God has blessed you, healed you, or forgiven you, the only appropriate response is diakonia—service. Grace is not a reservoir to hold; it is a river to flow through us to others.
Challenge: Turn off your phone for 15 minutes today. Sit in silence. Ask God to speak. And then, find one small way to serve someone in your house.
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