Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
In today’s first reading, Samuel was sent to Jesse of Bethlehem to seek the LORD’s anointed among Jesse’s sons. Upon seeing Jesse’s son Eliab, he thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is here before me” but he was not the chosen one. For Samuel looked upon them and saw their stature, strength, and outward appearance and thought who looks kingly. This is not how God sees for “Not as man sees does God see, because he sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.”
In our lives we are often sent to seek God’s will for us, to look for his anointed one, but as we look, we think to ourselves “What do I think God is looking for?” or “If I were God how would he make himself know to me?” We look with our limited understanding of God and try to anticipate His actions. In doing this we are not listening to God, but rather, we are imposing our will on God, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is here before me.” We must stop and listen with our hearts and let go of our desires, our attachments to worldly things, our fear of failure or even success, and we let God guide us. We may be blind to where God is leading us, but that is not a bad thing because our hands are on the shoulders of Jesus, and he is leading us to God’s divine will for us.
Reflection by Br. Placid Dale, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections