An Awakening

Understanding how God calls us to do his will

01/10/2018

1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-20 During the time young Samuel was minister to the LORD under Eli, a revelation of the LORD was uncommon and vision infrequent. One day Eli was asleep in his usual place. His eyes had lately grown so weak that he could not see. The lamp of God was not yet extinguished, and Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was. 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."

            Guys, I love Star Wars. It’s been great to see the next generation enjoy the latest installments of the Star Wars Saga: “The Force Awakens” and “The Last Jedi.” Of course, these movies are not nearly as good as the originals I grew up with! The plot revolves around two main characters: “Rey” and “Kylo Ren.” How many of you like Rey? How many of you like Kylo Ren? How many of you don’t know what Star Wars is? Well, here’s a quick clip from the official trailer of “The Last Jedi.”

             Let me say three things about Rey, who is my favorite character. First of all, she has experienced an awakening of power inside of her called “the Force.” It allows her to move boulders through the air; she can crack the side of a mountain; she’s swift with a light saber. Mostly, though, her power helps her to become a force for good in the galaxy. Secondly, she needs a mentor, a teacher, a jedi master, to show her the ways of the force. The famous line in the “The Last Jedi” was where Rey says, “I need someone to show me my place in all this.” But she doesn’t know whether to turn to Luke or to Kylo Ren. And thirdly, she doesn’t know who her parents are. But I know who her parents are! This isn’t in the movies, but I believe Rey’s parents will turn out to be Han Solo and General Leia, and therefore she is Kylo Ren’s sister. That’s why they have this weird telepathic connection.  And a big part of who Rey is comes from the fact of who her parents are. There’s an old saying that “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Rey will be a lot like her parents.  In other words, Rey is struggling with three basic life questions: (1) what has awakened inside of her? (2) who can teach her her place in the universe? And (3) who are her parents?

             In the first reading today, little Samuel is asking these same three questions. First, he hears a voice that “awakens” him at night. Literally, an awakening.  It wasn’t a booming voice from the sky, but a gentle voice in his heart calling to him, like the force inside of Rey spoke to her. Second, Samuel needs someone to teach him how to listen to and obey that voice. He goes to Eli, like Rey went to Luke. At first Eli is confused, too, but later he realizes it’s God’s voice and helps Samuel to hear God’s voice in prayer. And third, Samuel needed to learn who his mother and father were, namely, Hannah and Elkanah. In the Old Testament we learn that Hannah was a woman of deep faith and a lot like Mary, Jesus’ mother. In fact, Hannah even sings a song similar to Mary’s Magnificat. In other words, Samuel, like Rey, anguished over answering those three fundamental questions: (1) what has awakened inside of me (and awakened me!)? (2) Who can teach me about this power? And (3) who are my parents?

               Boys and girls, may I suggest to you that many of you are struggling with these same questions. No, I am convinced that all of you are. First, you’ve noticed something awakening inside of you, some talent, some gift, some ability. Maybe you’re good at quiz bowl like Tommy Caldarera, or you can sing like Avery Herrera, or you play violin like Nicole Jeter, or you can shoot baskets like Lauren Redding. There’s a kind of force awakening inside each of you – each of you without exception – like it did inside Rey and inside little Samuel.

            Second, you need someone “to show you your place in all this.” You need a mentor, a coach, a guide to help you reach your full potential in life. But be careful whom you choose: you can choose the good side, like Coach Vitale, or the dark side, like Coach Meares. Just kidding: all our teachers and staff are great mentors for you. But other people will also be ready to lead you astray into drugs and sex and alcohol, into selfishness and laziness and pride. People stand ready to train you to walk down two very different paths in life.

            And third, who are your parents? You may know your parents’ names, but do you know who they really are?  Some of you may also want to be as different from them as humanly possible. I remember thinking as a teenager: “Man, I’m not going to be like my parents! When I grow up I’m not going to do the dumb stuff they do!” There is some truth in those sentiments: our parents are not perfect. But let me tell you two great things about your parents. First, they love you very much. And second, they sent you to Trinity Junior High because they want the best for you. Here’s the real truth about your parents: even the mistakes your parents make are only because they thought they were trying to do the best for you. Believe it or not. It takes a very long time to really know our parents and love our parents for who they really are. It may take until heaven to know our parents perfectly.

              On December 20, 2019, Episode IX in the Star Wars saga will be released and that will be the last of that epic series. It’ll be so sad to see it come to an end.  But your personal saga is just beginning. I hope your epic struggle between good and evil in your own life will have a happy ending in heaven.

Praised be Jesus Christ!