Word to the Wise
Sunday, January 18, 2009 - Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
[1 Samuel 3:3a-10, 19; 1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20; John 1:35-42]John was standing by with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God." The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus....Andrew, the brother of Simn Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah" - which is translated Christ. Then he brought him to Jesus.
It has been my experience that folks are ever curious about how I became a priest! (There are probably a few Dominicans who wonder about that too!) When I hear the "stories" of other priests and religious about the origins of their "calling" I often hear of the influence of a particular individual. In my own case, I cannot identify a particular human person at the start of the process. (With regard to my "legal vocation" I would have to clearly identify my father!) I have to tell folks that it was a voice/idea that would not leave me alone and so I decided to "try" it one way or the other. There were influential persons along the way, however, who helped me to stick to it once the decision was made, and that will be a story for another day! Today's scriptures from Samuel and John show the influence of individuals calling other individuals to discipleship/ministry. Eli is the wise counselor for Samuel. John the Baptist points out Jesus to Andrew and ?, and Andrew goes and finds Peter and "brings" him to Jesus. When I served as Novice Master for our Southern Province, I was aware that most novices did have a "significant Dominican" who played an important role in the decision of the particular novice to enter the Dominican Order. I have had the privilege of serving in that role myself. Ultimately it is the faith decision of the individual to respond to an interior call but the good and patient example of the significant Dominican is extremely important. The same could be said of almost any "vocation" - whether it be to priesthood, religious life, medicine, law, teaching, etc. The good example of someone else can have a powerful impact. A happy practitioner is the best advertisement, but a wise friend who sees qualities that are perhaps unconscious in a good person can always suggest a certain direction. In the case of priesthood and religious life, this is crucial. We are all called by virtue of our baptism to discipleship. However we are not all "called" to full time ministry. The Holy Spirit can work through wise friends. If you are one of those "wise friends" I hope you will say a word of encouragement to someone you consider suitable. If you are one of those who have wise friends, I hope you will listen when they say that word of encouragement. AMEN
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