Wednesday — “Speak, Lord, Your Servant Is Listening”

Today’s readings are about learning how to listen to God —
and about what happens when we finally do.

They show us that God often speaks quietly,
and that His voice is not recognised immediately,
even by those who live close to holy things.

The first reading tells us something striking:

“The word of the Lord was rare in those days.”

God is not absent —
but people are not listening.

Samuel is sleeping in the Temple.
He is close to the ark.
He is surrounded by the signs of God’s presence.

And yet, when God calls him,
Samuel does not recognise the voice.

He runs to Eli.

Three times.

That detail matters.

Closeness to religion
is not the same as attentiveness to God.

Samuel is faithful.
But he still needs to be taught how to listen.

And Eli — weak and flawed though he is —
finally understands.

He teaches Samuel the most important prayer of all:

“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

Not “Speak, Lord, and explain.”
Not “Speak, Lord, and reassure.”

Just: I am listening.

That is the posture of faith.

Once Samuel listens properly,
everything changes.

“The Lord was with him,
and let none of his words fall to the ground.”

Listening leads to authority.

Not authority over others,
but authority rooted in truth.

Samuel becomes a prophet
because he learns to listen before he speaks.

The Gospel shows us the same pattern in Christ.

Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law.
The town gathers.
People are cured.
Demons are driven out.

By any measure, this is success.

And yet Jesus does something unexpected.

“Rising very early before dawn,
He went off to a deserted place, and there He prayed.”

Jesus does not live from activity.
He lives from communion with the Father.

Even the Son of God
withdraws to listen.

The disciples come searching.

“Everyone is looking for you.”

That sentence carries temptation.

Stay where you are wanted.
Stay where you are effective.
Stay where results are visible.

But Jesus does not allow popularity
to decide His mission.

He answers:

“Let us go on to the neighbouring villages,
so that I may proclaim the message there also;
for that is what I came out to do.”

Jesus listens to the Father
before listening to the crowd.

These readings speak directly to us.

Many people want God to speak —
but on their terms.

We want guidance without silence.
Comfort without conversion.
Direction without obedience.

Samuel teaches us that God’s voice
is recognised slowly.

Jesus teaches us that prayer
must come before action.

If we do not learn to listen,
we will confuse noise for guidance
and urgency for vocation.

Listening to God is not dramatic.

It happens:

in prayer

in Scripture

in conscience

in fidelity to daily duty

Often, God speaks not by adding something new,
but by deepening what we already know.

“Be faithful.”
“Forgive.”
“Do not be afraid.”
“Go where you are sent.”

Samuel teaches us how to listen.
Jesus shows us why listening matters.

Before words are spoken,
before work is done,
before decisions are made —

God speaks.

The question is not whether God is calling.

The question is whether we are willing to say:

“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

If we do,
God will guide us faithfully,
and none of His words
will fall to the ground.