Life is full of choices which one makes now
and then as time runs, and these choices need to be scrutinized. Among all the
available choices in the world, one needs to choose the best and morally based
choice. We may ask ourselves, how do we determine good choices from bad ones?
J-P Sartre, a French Existentialist, reminds us to be mindful of our choices
since by making a choice, we choose for others too. We are all invited to make
good choices in life. We get to make these choices by discerning. The necessity
of discernment in life is inevitable. Everyday activities is a requirement in
all spheres; both spiritual and worldly aspects.
In the book of Samuel, we get to see a
young man, Samuel, in a position to answer God's call. The young Samuel, under
the guidance of Eli, hears God's voice and listened to it. The choice of listening
helped Samuel to receive the message God intended to reach him and all the
people. Listening is quite different from hearing. Hearing can be said to be
involuntary but listening is a strictly voluntary choice which one makes. We
can be 'Samuel' of today to be keen and listen to God's message. God's call and
under the guidance of vast moral instructions, we can be good messengers of
God's message.
Openness and readiness to God's invitation
and message are fundamental attributes. Listening to God's invitation considers
one's openness also receive the message and the readiness to work dully on it.
Just like Samuel, God called him and gave him the message which he openly
received; nonetheless, it was upon his readiness to act accordingly. It is an
invitation to each of us to be always ready and open to God's call and message.
Humility is a necessity too. One needs to
acknowledge to be a servant of the Lord. It is upon the acknowledgement of
being a servant, one sees the importance of being humble. With all one's
capabilities on this earth, without humility, things do not always go right.
Putting aside the principle of double-effect as it is expressed in
Philosophical Anthropology, we can concur with the expression, "the means
justify the ends". Whatever we do in the view of achieving a certain goal,
the possible way(s) one may use, should be justifiable and morally upright. One
cannot claim to preach God's message or have heard and listened to God's call,
yet there is no correspondence to the ultimate goal, God's mission.
It is an invitation to all of us today to
act in ways pleasing to Whom we are following; as we all humbly listen to God's
call and be ready to do His mission with an open heart.
"Speak Lord, your servant is listening", 1 Sam. 3:9
