When Samuel went to sleep in his place, the Lord came and revealed his presence, calling out as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" Samuel answered, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."

(1 Samuel 3:9-10)

On the second Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B, we hear the delightful story of God calling Samuel. It takes three times for Samuel to answer because, as the scripture tells us, "Samuel was not yet familiar with the Lord" and kept thinking his master Eli was calling him instead.

At first, even Eli didn’t realize what was happening, passing off Samuel’s call as the dreams of a young lad. But as he listened to Samuel repeat his experience, he filtered it through his own faith and was able to help Samuel see God acting in his life, calling him to something greater. Eli identifies God as the caller and tells Samuel he should listen. In doing so, Eli not only teaches Samuel; he mentors him and guides him toward God.

In this wonderful story Samuel was only able to hear the Lord properly because he had the benefit of a wise person who cared about and listened to him. It reminds us that God is actively working in the minds, hearts, and experience of young people. But they need older and wiser mentors to help them see it, because they haven’t always achieved the wisdom to recognize God’s call.

Sometimes as religious educators we get so caught up in teaching, talking, and presenting information that we forget to listen. We think of our role so much as conveying or passing on faith that we forget about the faith already present. We concentrate on teaching and forget to mentor.

Part of our job is to help those we teach know that though they are young, though they may think of God as speaking in grander and more impressive ways, God is constantly communicating with them, guiding them, and calling them. We need to help them watch for the ways in which God is speaking in their lives.

Share with your young people a time in your life when you realized God was speaking to you in very ordinary ways. Invite them to share times when they wondered whether God might be speaking to them. Listen to their experience, filter it through your own faith, and mentor them toward the God who loves them and acts in their lives to draw them ever closer to God.

Amy Florian