A persistent calling awoke the young Samuel, and it was his mentor, Eli, who recognized it for what it was—a call from God. The Lord awoke Samuel and revealed his presence. Eli helped him know how to respond. As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him.

There’s a lot to be said for inherited religion—the kind many of us received from our parents if we were baptized as infants. It shows, first of all, that someone cared about us enough to represent us in the reception of the greatest gift of all: our membership in the life of Christ.

John was back at his post with two disciples, who were watching. He looked up, saw Jesus walking nearby, and said, “Here he is, God’s Passover Lamb.”

“Why do you want to get a cat?” people asked me and then rattled off all the reasons not to. I didn’t really know why. The best reason I could give is that I had never had a pet before, because I have allergies, and I wanted to find out what it was like.

It is fashionable for some people to complain about all of the messages that they receive and how busy they are. Usually they bring it on themselves.

Some of us are natural-born leaders, others followers. Followers often get a bad rap in our entrepreneurial, individualistic culture. If you’re not a maverick out there risking everything on some high stakes venture, then you must be a wimp with an incredible lack of imagination.

How do you teach your child to listen for the voice of God? This is not an easy question in an age when, moment by moment, our kids are bombarded by messages on TV, radio, the internet, magazines, billboards, the sides of buses, and even the clothes their friends are wearing.

As we begin a new year of Ordinary Time, our scripture readings tell us new beginnings. In a spirit of conversion we ask for God's mercy.

John points to [Jesus] and says: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” [Jesus’] taking away sin is still going on, he is taking it away from every individual in the world, till sin be taken away from the whole world, and the Savior deliver the kingdom prepared and completed to the Father.