1 Samuel 3: 3-10, 19; Psalm 39(40); 1 Cor 6: 13-15, 17-20; John 1: 35-41
In the first Book of Samuel Hannah, the devout but barren wife of Elkanah, prayed for a child in the temple at Shiloh. She promised if she has a son she will give him to the Lord as a Nazirite. Her prayers were answered, and Hannah gave Samuel up into Eli’s care in the temple.
Luke’s story of the birth of John the Baptist recalls the miraculous birth of Samuel, and Hannah’s song of thanks is echoed by Mary’s Magnificat. In our first reading Eli realises it is Samuel who is to succeed him as prophet to bring the word of the Lord to the people.
The Psalm expresses gratitude to the Lord for saving us, recognising that obedience is better than ritual sacrifice – as later seen in the supreme example of Jesus’ obedience.
Paul devotes several parts of his letter to the Corinthians to sexual immorality, which some Corinthians did not see as sins, but Paul sees as sinning against your own body.
In John’s Gospel the Baptist prophetically points Jesus out to his own disciples as the “Lamb of God”, so they follow him instead. Like the rest of Jesus’ disciples, they come to Jesus through the testimony of others, responding to the invitation to “Come and see”.
Psalm Response: Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.
(1 Samuel 3: 3-10, 19; Psalm 39(40); 1 Cor 6: 13-15, 17-20; John 1: 35-41)