February Sharing of the Heart Resource

Suggestion for Sharing of the Heart and State of the House

In February, we speak to our servant.

Download the PDF.

SHARING OF THE HEART:

My life of prayer ~ Awareness of God’s action in my life:

• Begin with prayerful quiet or song.
• Each may choose a word or phrase to describe how she/he comes today.
• Read the scripture below from 1 Samuel 3:4-10, and then the following reflection excerpt from Elisabeth Beall

The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, “Here I am.” Samuel ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me.” “I did not call you,” Eli said. “Go back to sleep.” So he went back to sleep. Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli. “Here I am,” he said. “You called me.” But Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep.” At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD, because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet. The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time. Getting up and going to Eli, he said, “Here I am. You called me.” Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth. So Eli said to Samuel, “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” When Samuel went to sleep in his place, the LORD came and revealed his presence, calling out as before, “Samuel, Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 1 SAMUEL 3:4-10

Speak Lord, you Servant is Listening

We are in the midst … of Ordinary Time on the liturgical calendar …. Back to the daily grind -- the hustle and bustle, the joy and beauty of the Christmas season buttoned up for time being.

And yet God's call is not silenced.

In the seasons of Advent and Christmas, we reflect often and deeply on Mary's yes -- her
willingness to accept what the angel told her, her perhaps perplexed, but no less robust yes to God. [The scripture from I Samuel] offers us a faint echo of that story: we see Samuel responding to God’s call -- not even realizing it was the Creator speaking to him.

… Each time Samuel heard his name called, he jumped up and ran to Eli to see what was needed. How often are we so happily responsive to the people around us -- to the spouse who hollers for help in the midst of a project, to the child who wants to nosedive into a deep conversation at the end of a long, wearying day, to the friend or neighbor or co-worker who needs a favor?

And we are often no less grumpy when we hear God calling us. Let’s face it: sometimes those calls are very inconveniently timed ... and even if they weren’t, they are often calls to tasks we’d very much prefer not doing.

Where Samuel jumps up to find out what Eli wants of him -- where Samuel responds enthusiastically to God, once he realizes it was God calling to him all along -- many of us are more likely to clap our hands over our ears and continue pursuing our own agendas ... as if our to-do lists were somehow more urgent than whatever God is asking of us.

In her Christmas Day reflection, Sister Bernie Inocencio, CSJ, asked: Where in your own “inn” (your heart, your schedule, your priorities) might there be “no room” for the unexpected arrival of the Savior? It’s a question that bears repeating, particularly as we immerse ourselves in the day-to-day of this new year.

Today might be a good day to modify or add to our New Year’s Resolutions, promising ourselves to make room for God -- resolving to listen well, to respond willingly, and to keep our hearts open for what is asked of us, and what lies ahead.

-Elisabeth Bell, Center for Spiritual Development, a Ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange

For Pondering: 
Pause for about 3-5 minutes of silence and then share your reflections on the
following:

• Have you ever ignored God’s call to you? What happened? What would you do differently now?
• How is God calling you to respond to the dear neighbor? How is God calling you to love the people closest to you?
• How can you strive to open your heart to God’s call today, and in the months ahead?
• All listen with reverence and attention pausing between sharing.

ORDER OF THE HOUSE:

We take time to receive and reverently mull over what we have heard, realizing that we are hearing about God’s ongoing action and creativity in our community and world.

Is there a common theme or common thread that emerges among us?

(Adapted from CSJ Congregation Sharing of Heart/House)

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(Compiled by Santa M. Cuddihee, CSJA; Edited by Kay Komotos, CSJA)