Our nation will soon witness a moment that few ever thought would happen, the inauguration of our first African-American president. President Obama’s journey to the White House brings to mind another African-American who introduced herself to the student body of a small college in South Carolina in this way.
“I was born to a mother who was deaf and could not speak. I do not know who my father is or was. The first job I ever had was in a cotton field.” The audience was spell-bound. She went on to say, “Nothing has to remain the way it is if that is not the way a person wants it to be. It isn’t luck, and it isn’t circumstances, and it isn’t being born a certain way that causes a person’s future to become what it becomes.” She then softly reiterated her point, “Nothing has to remain the way it is if that is not the way a person wants it to be.”
“All a person has to do to change a situation that brings unhappiness or dissatisfaction is answer the question, ‘How do I want this situation to become?’ Then the person must commit totally to personal actions that carry them there.” Smiling, she then said, “My name is Azie Taylor Morton, I stand before you today as treasurer of the United States of America.”
It is a long way from the cotton fields of the south to Washington, DC yet her origins did not thwart Ms. Morton from becoming the first African American to hold the office of treasurer. She raised a very relevant question that has moved many people, including those whom we encounter in today’s readings.
“How do I want this situation to become?” God knew something needed to be done to change the situation in biblical Israel so he called young Samuel. What we don’t hear is God’s message, “I am about to do something in Israel that will cause the ears of everyone to ring!” God is issuing a wake-up call to the people of Israel. Once Samuel knew that it was the Lord calling him in the dark of the night, he said, “Speak, for your servant is listening!”
God didn’t stop with Samuel. He sent his son, Jesus, to awaken the world around him as to what God wanted their situation to become. Jesus knew he could not achieve this mission single-handedly so he invited two disciples of John the Baptist to spend an afternoon with him that forever changed their situation, their lives, and the lives of many others, including you and me.
God also called on Paul to proclaim the good news. Paul knew the situation of sexual immorality in ancient Corinth had to change so he challenged his listeners to change their ways by letting go of those values which blinded them from experiencing the fullness of God’s grace and love. Yes, his language is tough and hard for many people to accept, but he is right. The body is not for immorality but for glorifying God if we want to experience the situation that God has in store for us.
Jesus posed a relevant question to Andrew. “What are you looking for?” That question is just as real for us today. What are we looking for in life? Do we desire to change the situation we find ourselves in? God hopes that we do. Face it; there is so much misery in the world. The dream for many of us may prompt us to answer Jesus’ question in material ways, such as a better paying job, a loving family, a beautiful home, or good health. Deep down, however, I imagine you are looking for more than that. You are also looking for all the things that life with God offers, not the least of which are peace, life, love, and joy.
No matter what the nature of our faith or lack of faith may be, we yearn to be spiritual, for spirituality is the awareness of something sacred in our lives. God is that something sacred in our lives, and God is calling you just as he once called Samuel. Like Samuel, few people recognize that God is calling them, but God does for he never tires in calling others to share his new vision for the world we live in.
By virtue of your baptism, God is calling you to be a disciple; that means more than a mere acceptance of Jesus Christ. Being a disciple means becoming part of God’s family. That calls for a willingness on our part to follow the example of the apostles and “come and see” God’s vision for our world. We do this by staying in the Lord’s presence through prayer and reflection. Discipleship also means using our God-given talents to do what we can to bring about God’s vision for a new world.
That doesn’t come easy. Consider the message from Paul in his letter to the Corinthians, reminding his listeners that the body is not for immorality but for the Lord. Instead of rejecting Paul’s message, as many are inclined to do, we should see the point he is making. Paul knows the reality of sin prevents us from having the situation that we desire in our lives: a union with God that rids our lives of the despair, unhappiness, and dissatisfaction that affects so many people. His advice is a means for us to change the situation we find ourselves in for the better.
Paul’s message is a wake up call for our country. Think of the price our society has paid for its immorality: sexual abuse, domestic violence, broken homes, drug addiction, AIDS, and countless abortions. Is that the situation we want for ourselves and future generations? I think not. The respect for human life can be restored. That begins in our homes, respecting ourselves, seeing ourselves as temples of the Holy Spirit and respecting our loved ones, then respecting others whom we meet. Our situation will change when we come to see that Paul is right; we belong to God. We must not forget that we are made in the image of God and that without God’s grace we cannot exist. Nothing has to remain the way it is if we enable others to also see that God values all life from the unborn to the dying, including them.