Two phrases stand out for me in the Gospel for Sunday: "What are you looking for?" and "Come and see." People are looking for something; people are yearning for something, especially today when there is so much to fear; when the way things are seems so unfair that people are taking to the streets to protest; when people are exhausted by never-ending war, threats of more wars, and acts of terrorism. We are living in a time when people believe there is a growing injustice and we hear accusations that the powerful are abusing their power.

The passage from the first reading (1 Samuel 3: 3-19) takes place in a time of great injustice and abuse of power. Even the priests were corrupt, and put their own desires above the needs of the people. To understand the passage it is helpful to read what comes before it - the story of Hannah. She was another one of those barren women that are so popular in the stories of Israel. She bargained with God for a child, saying she would give the child back to God. What strikes me in this story is the hymn that is attributed to Hannah. It reminds me of the Magnificat of Mary. It says: "(God) raises the needy from the dust; from the ash heap he lifts up the poor, to seat them with the nobles..."

Now, when God called Samuel, Samuel was just a servant boy. Samuel was the boy who was given back to God as a servant to the priest Eli. Scripture even says that he didn't know God - he was not a person of faith. He certainly had no idea that God would speak to someone like him, a child and a servant. God called him four times before Samuel finally listened. We need to notice that we can be in direct contact with God and not know it. The voice of God can be anywhere and come in any way. It is all too easy to miss God's call, and often when we do hear it we continue to doubt... is this really God I hear?

Eli helped Samuel open himself up to God and listen. However, it took the priest three times before he recognized that God would speak to someone like Samuel. You see, Eli was not hearing from God, and he was the priest. Eli finally helped the boy only because of Samuel's persistence. Eli was old and corrupt, doing nothing to stop the abusive behavior of his priestly sons. But even though corrupt, he understood the faith tradition of Israel and so was still able to help Samuel hear God. He was also priest enough to accept God's judgment when it came. Through Samuel, who became God's prophet, God revealed again that God's concern is for the poor and the powerless, and God's judgment falls on those who abuse their power.

Now, back to the Gospel. When two of John the Baptist's disciples went running after Jesus, he turned and asked them: "What are you looking for?" They were not able to put into words what they were looking for, but we know that when Andrew told his brother about Jesus he said, "We have found the Messiah." People were living in oppressive times, times of injustice and abuse of power. These men that went running after Jesus had real life concerns as a conquered people. They like many others around them were yearning for something that would make life better. Andrew believed he'd found the answer in Jesus. He went with Jesus when invited to "Come and see," and then he extended that same invitation to his brother - "come and see."

"Come and see" is the invitation that we at Emmaus ECC can extend to others around us. We have found Jesus, the Christ, and now it is our turn to invite others. If we truly believe that Christ is the answer for those who are seeking justice, peace, love, and hope; who are seeking the God who will raise them up; who are seeking a God who is concerned for justice and is on the side of the oppressed, then we will reach out and invite others to "come and see."

January 19th is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day.  Dr. King was a preacher, a pastor and a civil rights activist. But what I find most remarkable about the man is that he was able to demonstrate so well the relationship between listening to God in prayer, and action. He regularly took what he called a "Day of Silence" to pray, to plan and to listen. He listened to the One who loves our world, and then took what he heard seriously. He needed God to speak first, and then he would find the inner resources he needed to act. When exhausted and ready to quit Dr. King would find the grace to get back up and keep going. Dr. King found through Christ the God who is on the side of the poor, the oppressed, the least ones in our midst, and listened, and then joined God in the work of justice.

Mother Kedda