Samuel, when he hears this voice runs to Eli, the leader of Israel at the time. It is Eli who tells Samuel to return and to respond “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” However, Eli, is not experiencing the favor of the Lord. He is a good man, but he is also spineless. He has two sons, Hophni and Phineas, who were tyrants, and who having no fear of God were oppressing the people. Eli does not stop them and for this he loses the favor of the Lord.

The two sons defined the word corrupt. During their day, the currency used in offering to the Lord was livestock and the harvest. The two sons would take the livestock offering, butcher it and remove the choice portions for themselves, what was left they then offered to God which was to be given to the poor. God saw this and that their father did not correct them. He told Eli that the day was to come that all three would die for their sins. He would then raise a prophet for the people. God meant those words literally, not that one day, they would all be dead, but that in one day, Eli and his sons would die.

The people of Israel were engaged in a fight with the Phillistines which were an ancient pagan tribe, who lived in what is now the Gaza strip. They took the famous Ark of the Covenant into battle with them which they felt was God’s presence and guaranteed them victory. The two sons of Eli were among those carrying the Ark. If you have seen Raiders of the Lost Ark, then you understand that this is the Ark I am talking about. Just as in the movie where it was believed whoever possessed the Ark would win the war, Israel felt that they could not be defeated by the Philistines for they had God with them. However, God is not mocked and just as in the movie, He refused to bless evil, He also allows not only that Israel is defeated, but also the Ark to be captured by the Philistines.

In that one day, the Philistines successfully defeat the people of Israel, capture the Ark and kill the two sons of Eli. A messenger then goes to inform Eli, who by the way was a rather heavy man. The messenger informs Eli of the death of his sons, the defeat of Israel and the capture of the Ark. Eli goes into shock and falls back into a chair, but because of his massive body, he breaks his neck in the process and dies. Just as God promises, Eli and his sons all die in the same day.

Now Samuel will become the prophet who will annoint two kings of Israel, Saul the first every King and then his successor, the greatest king in Israel, David.

What is the lesson here?

God is never mocked. He has called his people and his Church to be his representative on the Earth. We must never take that call lightly. We must understand as Baptized Catholics, as Confirmed Catholics, as those sacramentally married or in my case and the deacons’ ordained. We all have a special grace from God to do His will in  the world. We must not take that grace, nor the sacrament lightly.

We have a mission to live our respective vocations as lay or ordained Catholics in the world and in our families. God help us if we reject that vocation for what the world has to offer us. God help us if we use our position for any personal or financial gain while undermining the will of God. God is never mocked.

However, realize that these are extreme examples. If we take our vocation seriously, then as in the case of Samuel, God will use us to do his will. If we dismiss our vocation then we must answer to God for why we did that.

Baptized men, you have a vocation to be here in Church, your wife does not go to church for you. God did not send Sameuel’s wife to do the work of Samuel. He sent Samuel. He sent Joseph’s wife to do the work of Joseph’s wife not of Joseph. Catholic women, be the Catholics you have been called to be, Christ called you to serve him as Catholic women who seek to bring the message of the gospel to their families.

The same goes for you young adults. If you have been confirmed, you have been missionied to be God’s agents among your peers. May I suggest you take St. Pier Giorgi as a model, especially if you like playing sports as did he. He was a great mountaineer among other things. Catholic children be Catholic children.

The lesson of the Call of Samuel is not a nice cute lesson of vocation. It is reminder to live our vocation for God needs us to respond seriously. He needs us to respond seriously now. If we do not then the consequences will show themselves in the strength or lack of it in the community and other communities will take our place.

Samuel responded to his call. Eli, Phineas and Hophni did not. The Gospel shows that the Apostles also responded to their call, well all but one. We know how that turns out as well.

Live your vocation.

God bless you,

Fr. Robert J Carr

Fr. Carr is an alliance member of the New Song Community (Canção Nova). He is the pastor of Holy Trinity Quincy, MA and is the editor of this blog. He is the author of several books, blogs and hundreds of videos all of which you may find on Youtube. He also has a regular radio program on WebRadio Canção Nova. Which he podcasts on Mixcloud and here on Catholicismanew.
You can follow him on twitter as @frbobcarr and on Google Plus as +Fr. Robert Thoughts, comments on the homily? Let us know at Facebook