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But when we sing it we say or sing – Here I am Lord – Does that mean I am present to God, What does being Present to God mean? When I say Here I am, am I saying I am ready to serve you, I am ready to do your will, I am ready to bring your love to those I meet.
As Samuel continues responding Here I am, Eli tells him to say Speak Lord your servant is listening, so the next time Samuel heard the calling he said “Speak Lord your servant is listening”
What does it mean to listen?
Sometimes on radio you know that the interviewer is not listening because they interrupt and ask the next question without linking it to what the person has just been saying.
You know the old question “Why have we got two ears but only one mouth” – So that we can listen twice as much as we speak – yet is that what we do?
It is hard to listen because so often we want to get our own point across.
The same in prayer – its much easier to say prayers rather than to listen in silence. To sit and listen in silence is hard to do.
Sometimes when I am trying to pray I just sit in silence just say, Speak Lord your servant is listening. It is a model; for prayer taken from this reading. ”Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” It’s a good mantra for busy people in a noisy world.
At Mass too is can be hard to have silence. Over the last while here in our parish we have tried to have a pause after the readings for 20 seconds – just to let the words sink in. I hope you found that helpful. Also after the homily, its nice to have a pause to reflect on the readings and try to make a personal response for the week ahead. When I was a child I used to hate when the priest would sit down after communion – but it is a lovely time for reflection. I think was can all benefit for some silence in our lives, in our prayer and in the mass. Then we too like Samuel can say “Here I am lord” and “Speak Lord your servant is listening”
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