Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was. The Lord called to Samuel, who answered, "Here I am." He ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me." "I did not call you," Eli said. "Go back to sleep." So he went back to sleep. Again the Lord called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli. "Here I am," he said. "You called me." But he answered, "I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep." At that time Samuel was not familiar with the Lord, because the Lord had not revealed anything to him as yet. The Lord called Samuel again, for the third time. Getting up and going to Eli, he said, "Here I am. You called me." Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the youth. So he said to Samuel, "Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, 'Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.'" When Samuel went to sleep in his place, the Lord came and revealed his presence, calling out as before, "Samuel, Samuel!" Samuel answered, "Speak, for your servant is listening." Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect.

The body, is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body; God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Avoid immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the immoral person sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God." The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi, where are you staying?" He said to them,"Come, and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah". Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Kephas (Peter)."

        Yesterday, the Catholic Church began the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This theme is observed in Catholicism each year during the third week of January to underscore what is happening in our lives all year long. Obviously, many things have changed between the various Christian churches during the past fifty years. The Spirit of Ecumenism has grown noticeably over this period of time. A case-in-point being the Martin Luther King Jr. concert that will be held at Good Shepherd Church on January 19th. (Sunday evening) Some fifteen choirs from various churches throughout Mt. Vernon will be lifting up their voices to the Lord in joyful praise. Could it be that Jesus does not take sides - Jesus takes over! Ecumenism is the movement which promotes Christian unity. Alas, there are numerous Catholics who shun close ties with other Christians who are not of the Catholic persuasion. But this is certainly not what John Paul II upholds. Indeed, the pope has very clearly and quite forcefully told Catholics that Ecumenism is an essential part of who they are as Catholic Christians. And the reason for this is very understandable. At the Last Supper Jesus prayed: "May they all be one, Father, just as You are in Me, and I am in You, so that they also may be in us,so that the world may believe it was You Who sent Me."(Jn 17, 21)
        But when the world sees the churches of Christendom divided and contentious with each other what is it to think? Just why would anyone want to ever become a Christian if it means joining a group of people intent on bashing and competing with each other? And surely, the closer Christians can relate to each other - - working and worshiping and praying together - the stronger their witness to Jesus Christ will become on this earth!
        Before the Second Vatican Council took place (1962 - 1965), the Catholic Church advocated "an ecumenism of return." The Church insisted unconditionally that all who had broken ties and separated themselves from the Body of Christ should repent and should return to the bosom of the Roman Catholic Church for outside of Catholicism there was absolutely no salvation. But that has really changed. Now, Catholics are encouraged to acknowledge and to reverence the gifts of Christ to His Church in whatever Christian communities they are to be found. Actually, we Catholics are strongly urged to do all in our power to hasten the day when all that divides us will be resolved. Truly, there are many things that we can and that we should do to grow closer to other Christians like discussions on theological issues, co-operation in social justice projects, socializing with other Christian Church members, but at the very heart of this is prayer and especially common prayer. Common prayer is the true essence of the ecumenical movement. The common prayer of Christians is an invitation to Christ Jesus Himself to visit the very congregation of those who call upon Him. Let us be one, Lord Jesus, as You and the Father are one!