As we begin Ordinary Time now that the Christmas Season is over, we begin reading from the First Book of Samuel. Sometimes we can take on the attitude that these are nice stories but what do they have to do with present times. This is a mistake and it is why we are called to ask the Holy Spirit to help us understand what the message might be.
Take the story of Hannah at the beginning of First Samuel. Childless in a society where fertility is honored, she is mocked by her husband’s other wife. There at the holy site of Shiloh she pours out her heart to God with copious tears. If only God would gift her with a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord. “O Lord, hear my prayer; hear the sound of my crying.” Here is the first thing that we can learn. We should never be reluctant to pour out our sorrows and misery to the Lord. Never think that God is too busy to listen. Never think that God does not care. Be honest with God.
Hannah is praying at Shiloh, which is one of the Israelite worship sites before they conquered Jerusalem and before the Temple was built. Eli is the chief priest at Shiloh. He mistakes Hannah’s tearful face and mumbled prayers for drunkenness. Hannah explains, “I am an unhappy woman. I have had neither wine nor liquor; I was only pouring out my troubles to the Lord. …my prayer has been prompted by my deep sorrow and misery.” Eli realizes that he has misjudged her and says, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant what you have asked of him.”
This is the second thing that we can learn from the reading. Don’t be quick to judge. We can too easily jump to conclusions without knowing the facts. One of my uncles had a heart attack and died while stopped at a stop light. I wonder how many drivers in cars behind him honked and swore before one of them got out of his car and checked to see what the problem was and called 911?
Like many other parishes, St. Peter’s hosts Room in the Inn during the winter months. Those who volunteer are often surprised at the number of homeless men who have jobs. The problem is that with the present cost of housing, minimum wage or even $9 or $10 an hour will often leave you homeless. Misjudgments can even happen in church. One of my students shared with me how on a Sunday during Communion a fellow staggered up the aisle to receive. People looked on him with disdain and mumbled, “Is he drunk? At the end of Mass he stumbled out of the church. Only then did one teen look at him and ask, “Are you all right?” He wasn’t. In fact, he was having a heart attack. The teen called 911 and they took him to the hospital.
My favorite misjudgment is one that was not sad. Fr. John Foley, S.J., my superior at the high school, studied theology at Innbruck around 1960. He arrived late in the day and the next morning, a Saturday, he went to breakfast in the dining room. It was common in those days at breakfast to ring a bell at the kitchen door and then tell one of the brothers who was working the kitchen what you wanted for breakfast. They would prepare it and bring it to you. John rang the bell and what he thought was an older brother came and took his order. It wasn’t coming out quick enough for him, so he rang the bell again impatiently. The supposed brother came to the door and apologized that there was a delay and said he would bring it soon. The “brother” brought his breakfast in a little while. On Monday, John went to his systematic theology class. There at the lectern was the person he thought was a brother. It was Father Professor Karl Rahner, one of the most prominent theologians of the twentieth century. John wanted to crawl under his desk, but Rahner never mentioned the incident. In fact, Rahner often filled in for the brother in the kitchen so that he might have a morning off.
Pray honestly and be slow to judge. These are two lessons that are as important today as they were some 3,000 years ago.
Jesuit Father John Michalowski is parochial vicar of St. Peter Church in Charlotte.