Providence and Prayer

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to consider our approach to prayer and the mystical aspect of our relationship to Christ in the events of life.

Prayer Place

The Reading from the First Book of Samuel presents Hannah’s Prayer.

* [1:11] No razor...: the Septuagint adds “he shall drink neither wine nor liquor.” This addition is a further suggestion that Samuel is dedicated to God under a nazirite vow (Nm 6:4–5); see note on v. 22.

* [1:20] Samuel: Hannah’s explanation associates her son’s name with the narrative’s wordplay on the Hebrew verbs s’l (“ask,” vv. 17, 27), his’il (“hand over, dedicate,” v. 28), sa’ul (“dedicated,” v. 28), and the noun se’elah (“request,” vv. 17, 27). The name, however, is related to the Hebrew root s’l only through assonance. It means “his name is El/God,” not “the one requested of or dedicated (sa’ul) to God” (v. 28), which is the meaning of the name Saul. The author may have lifted the s’l wordplay from a narrative about Saul to portray Samuel as God’s gracious answer to Hannah’s request. (1 Samuel, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the response from the First Book of Samuel, Hannah declares her heart exults in the Lord.

* [2:1–10] Hannah appeals to a God who maintains order by keeping human affairs in balance, reversing the fortunes of the arrogant, who, like Peninnah, boast of their good fortune (vv. 1, 3, 9) at the expense of those like Hannah who receive less from the Lord. Hannah’s admission places her among the faithful who trust that God will execute justice on their behalf. The reference “his king ... his anointed” (v. 10) recalls the final sentence of the Book of Judges and introduces the kingship theme that dominates the Books of Samuel.

* [2:3] Speak ... mouths: addressed to the enemies mentioned in v. 1. (1 Samuel, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Mark proclaims Jesus Cure of a Demoniac.

* [1:21–45] The account of a single day’s ministry of Jesus on a sabbath in and outside the synagogue of Capernaum (Mk 1:21–31) combines teaching and miracles of exorcism and healing. Mention is not made of the content of the teaching but of the effect of astonishment and alarm on the people. Jesus’ teaching with authority, making an absolute claim on the hearer, was in the best tradition of the ancient prophets, not of the scribes. The narrative continues with events that evening (Mk 1:32–34; see notes on Mt 8:14–17) and the next day (Mk 1:35–39). The cleansing in Mk 1:40–45 stands as an isolated story.

* [1:23] An unclean spirit: so called because of the spirit’s resistance to the holiness of God. The spirit knows and fears the power of Jesus to destroy his influence; cf. Mk 1:32, 34; 3:11; 6:13.

* [1:24–25] The Holy One of God: not a confession but an attempt to ward off Jesus’ power, reflecting the notion that use of the precise name of an opposing spirit would guarantee mastery over him. Jesus silenced the cry of the unclean spirit and drove him out of the man.

* [1:24] What have you to do with us?: see note on Jn 2:4. (Mark, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Suzanne Braddock notes that Jesus met with resistance from the first. A man possessed by an unclean spirit called out “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are - the Holy One of God!”

I ask myself: What have I to do with Jesus? Who is He to me? Do I know Him truly as the Holy One of God? Yes, He will destroy evil in  the end, I believe. But His desire for  us is not destruction, but life. Abundant life. Fully alive. To be the me who was created to be just that - me. Not some person perfect in all respects, but perfectly me. As St. Irenaeus said “The glory of God is man fully alive.”  Woman, too.

May this year foster growth in me to fulfill God’s will for me at my creation. To realize what gifts He has given me that I may use to bring light and life to others. To not just say prayers but to listen silently for God’s loving response. To sit at His knee and wonder. (Braddock, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Knowing without loving,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Those words show clearly that the demons had much knowledge, but entirely lacked love. They dreaded receiving their punishment from him. They did not love the righteousness that was in him. He made himself known to them to the extent he willed; and he willed to be made known to the extent that was fitting. But he was not made known to them as he is known to the holy angels, who enjoy participation in his eternity, in that he is the Word of God. To the demons he is known as he had to be made known, by striking terror into them, for his purpose was to free from their tyrannical power all who were predestined for his kingdom and glory, which is eternally true and truly eternal. Therefore, he did not make himself known to the demons as the life eternal, and the unchangeable light which illuminates his true worshipers, whose hearts are purified by faith in him so that they see that light. He was known to the demons through certain temporal effects of his power, the signs of his hidden presence, which could be more evident to their senses, even those of malignant spirits, than to the weak perception of human beings. (excerpt from CITY OF GOD 9.21) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Samuel 1:9-20 comments we don’t always get exactly what we are asking for. Not every parent who prays for a child will conceive one; not everything that we long for will come in the way we were expecting it. However, with prayerful reflection over time, we begin to see the many blessings that the Lord has given us. It’s true that God answers in his own time, even though we may feel that we are running out of patience.

Take heart! Your heavenly Father longs to hear your prayers and petitions. He wants you to come into his presence, just as Hannah did, and pour out your heart. And as you do, he will pour out his mercy on you.

Remember that God is always listening. He loves you. He has great blessings in store for you. He has a good plan for your life. So come to him with an open heart, ready to receive whatever he wants to give you. And one day, in this life or in the next, you will join Hannah and proclaim: “My heart exults in the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:1).

“Lord, I know that you hear my prayers. Help me to trust in you.” (Meditation on 1 Samuel 1:9-20, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that 1 Samuel tells of Hannah at the sanctuary and how she prays to God to remove her curse and she will give birth to her son, Samuel. The Lord listens, and she will dedicate Samuel to the Lord. Eli approves of her prayer even after misjudgement of her state and intention, a message perhaps to us. Mark, at the beginning of the Gospel, presents Jesus proclaiming the Kingdom through action. The demons, as spiritual creatures, recognize Jesus. He is establishing the Kingdom of God where the Evil One will have no power over us. Friar Jude notes we will know God in the depth of our hearts.

Jennifer Garcia Bashaw and Aaron Higashi authors of Serving Up Scripture: How to Interpret the Bible for Yourself and Others comment that the second creation story in Genesis contradicts much of the first. They show how both are needed.

In addition to the chapters’ portrayals of God, the stories flatly contradict each other in their orders of creation. In Genesis 1, vegetation is created before animals, then animals are created before men and women, who are made at the same time. But in Genesis 2:4 and following, Adam is created before any vegetation, then animals are created before Eve.…

In many ways, the Bible does us a favor by beginning with two contradictory stories. In so doing, the Bible signals to us at the outset what this text actually is: a diverse collection of religious traditions that have been brought together by different communities of faith over a long period of time…. When you read the Bible, you’re reading an anthology of ancient religious literature—not a textbook, not an instructional manual, not a love letter from God, and not a complete work of systematic theology. (Garcia Bashaw & Higashi, n.d.)

We contemplate the action of the Spirit in our lives to reveal the reality of our Creation that extends beyond what our five senses initially present to us.

References

Braddock, S. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved January 13, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-january-13-2026 

Garcia Bashaw, J., & Higashi, A. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 13, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-gift-of-two-stories/ 

Mark, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 13, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/1?21 

Meditation on 1 Samuel 1:9-20. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved January 13, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/01/13/1479145/ 

1 Samuel, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 13, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1samuel/1 

1 Samuel, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 13, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1samuel/2 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Jesus Taught with Authority. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 13, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Come and See

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to listen to the messages in the events of our life that call us to greater intimacy with God and the people in our environment.

Come and See

The reading from the First Book of Samuel describes the Revelation to Samuel.

* [3:2–18] The call of Samuel: This section may be divided as follows: 1. the triple summons (vv. 2–9); 2. God’s revelation (vv. 10–14); 3. Samuel informs Eli (vv. 15–18).

* [3:3] Not yet extinguished: referring to the nighttime setting of this narrative (cf. Ex 27:20–21) and foreshadowing a permanently extinguished lamp when the ark is captured and Shiloh destroyed. (1 Samuel, CHAPTER 3, n.d.)

Psalm 40 is a thanksgiving for Deliverance and a Prayer for Help.

* [Psalm 40] A thanksgiving (Ps 40:2–13) has been combined with a lament (Ps 40:14–17) that appears also in Ps 70. The psalmist describes the rescue in spatial terms—being raised up from the swampy underworld to firm earth where one can praise God (Ps 40:2–4). All who trust God will experience like protection (Ps 40:5–6)! The Psalm stipulates the precise mode of thanksgiving: not animal sacrifice but open and enthusiastic proclamation of the salvation just experienced (Ps 40:7–11). A prayer for protection concludes (Ps 40:12–17). (Psalms, PSALM 40 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the reading from the First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul teaches about sexual immorality.

* [6:12–20] Paul now turns to the opinion of some Corinthians that sexuality is a morally indifferent area (1 Cor 6:12–13). This leads him to explain the mutual relation between the Lord Jesus and our bodies (1 Cor 6:13b) in a densely packed paragraph that contains elements of a profound theology of sexuality (1 Cor 6:15–20).

* [6:12–13] Everything is lawful for me: the Corinthians may have derived this slogan from Paul’s preaching about Christian freedom, but they mean something different by it: they consider sexual satisfaction a matter as indifferent as food, and they attribute no lasting significance to bodily functions (1 Cor 6:13a). Paul begins to deal with the slogan by two qualifications, which suggest principles for judging sexual activity. Not everything is beneficial: cf. 1 Cor 10:23, and the whole argument of 1 Cor 8–10 on the finality of freedom and moral activity. Not let myself be dominated: certain apparently free actions may involve in fact a secret servitude in conflict with the lordship of Jesus.

* [6:15b–16] A prostitute: the reference may be specifically to religious prostitution, an accepted part of pagan culture at Corinth and elsewhere; but the prostitute also serves as a symbol for any sexual relationship that conflicts with Christ’s claim over us individually. The two…will become one flesh: the text of Gn 2:24 is applied positively to human marriage in Matthew and Mark, and in Eph 5:29–32: love of husband and wife reflect the love of Christ for his church. The application of the text to union with a prostitute is jarring, for such a union is a parody, an antitype of marriage, which does conflict with Christ’s claim over us. This explains the horror expressed in 15b.

* [6:18] Against his own body: expresses the intimacy and depth of sexual disorder, which violates the very orientation of our bodies.

* [6:19–20] Paul’s vision becomes trinitarian. A temple: sacred by reason of God’s gift, his indwelling Spirit. Not your own: but “for the Lord,” who acquires ownership by the act of redemption. Glorify God in your body: the argument concludes with a positive imperative to supplement the negative “avoid immorality” of 1 Cor 6:18. Far from being a terrain that is morally indifferent, the area of sexuality is one in which our relationship with God (and his Christ and his Spirit) is very intimately expressed: he is either highly glorified or deeply offended. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 6, n.d.)

The Gospel of John introduces the First Disciples of Jesus.

* [1:36] John the Baptist’s testimony makes his disciples’ following of Jesus plausible.

* [1:37] The two disciples: Andrew (Jn 1:40) and, traditionally, John, son of Zebedee (see note on Jn 13:23).

* [1:39] Four in the afternoon: literally, the tenth hour, from sunrise, in the Roman calculation of time. Some suggest that the next day, beginning at sunset, was the sabbath; they would have stayed with Jesus to avoid travel on it.

* [1:41] Messiah: the Hebrew word māśiâh, “anointed one” (see note on Lk 2:11), appears in Greek as the transliterated messias only here and in Jn 4:25. Elsewhere the Greek translation christos is used.

* [1:42] Simon, the son of John: in Mt 16:17, Simon is called Bariona, “son of Jonah,” a different tradition for the name of Simon’s father. Cephas: in Aramaic = the Rock; cf. Mt 16:18. Neither the Greek equivalent Petros nor, with one isolated exception, Cephas is attested as a personal name before Christian times. (John, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Cindy Costanzo comments that spending time in prayer with God has made a significant difference in her life.

The times I have carved away for prayer, to be quiet and listen have provided an opportunity to deepen my relationship with God. My choices, my friends, where I have worked, who I married, where I sent my children to school, what I do for entertainment, how I worship; basically all that I do has been impacted because of my prayer time with God.  The more time in prayer the more time I yearn. I have found these practices so valuable in my ability to hear/recognize God’s voice and feel God’s presence. (Costanzo, 2024)

Don Schwager quotes “The first disciples longing for the Messiah,” by John Chrysostom (349-407 AD).

"Andrew, after having stayed with Jesus and after having learned what he did, did not keep the treasure to himself but hurries and races to his brother in order to let him know the good things Jesus has shared with him. But why hasn't John mentioned what they talked about? How do we know this is why they 'stayed with him'?... Observe what Andrew says to his brother, 'We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.' You see how, in a short time, he demonstrates not only the persuasiveness of the wise teacher but also his own longing that he had from the beginning. For this word, 'we have found,' is the expression of a soul that longs for his presence, looking for his coming from above, and is so ecstatic when what he is looking for happens that he hurries to tell others the good news. This is what brotherly affection, natural friendship, is all about when someone is eager to extend a hand to another when it comes to spiritual matters. Also see how he adds the article, for he does not say 'Messiah' but 'the Messiah.' They were expecting the Christ who would have nothing in common with the others." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 19.1) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Samuel 3:3-10, 19 comments that this same God wants to speak to us! It’s not hard to hear him, but like Samuel, we need to learn to listen.

It’s not easy to hear God’s voice when we’re surrounded by noise. So to listen for the Lord, we will need to find a quiet place away from the clatter that can drown out the Lord’s voice. We may need to silence our anxious thoughts and doubts, too. But with God’s help, we can set aside those thoughts and listen for his voice instead. “Quiet my heart, Lord. I’m listening for you.”

“Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” (Meditation on 1 Samuel 3:3-10, 19, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler describes the charismatic calling of Samuel to be dedicated to the Lord. Paul, in the port city of Corinth asserts that our bodies, as Temples of the Holy Spirit. are not intended for immorality. Friar Jude looks at the multiple meanings in the Aramaic used by the Baptist and the contrast in John’s Gospel between the beloved disciple and Peter the “rock head”.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, writes that holding the tension of paradox helps us grow in consciousness and love.

I am talking about just holding the tension, not necessarily finding a resolution or closure to paradox. We must agree to live without resolution, at least for a while. This is very difficult for most people, largely because we have not been taught how to do this mentally or emotionally. We didn’t know we could—or even should. As Paul seems to say (and I paraphrase), hope would not be the virtue that it is if it led us to quick closure and we did not have to “wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:24–25).

I think opening to this holding pattern is the very name and description of faith. Unfortunately, in Christianity, faith largely became believing things to be true or false (intellectual assent) instead of giving people concrete practices so they could themselves know how to open up (faith), hold on (hope), and allow an infilling from another Source (love).

We must move from a belief-based religion to a practice-based religion, or little will change. We will merely continue to argue about what we are supposed to believe and who the unbelievers are. We need contemplative practices to loosen our egoic attachment to certainty and retrain our minds to understand the wisdom of paradox. [1] (Rohr, 2024)

We reflect on the response of the disciples to “come and see” as we attend to the promptings of the Spirit to follow Jesus.

References

Costanzo, C. (2024, January 14). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Online Ministries. Retrieved January 14, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/011424.html 

John, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 14, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1?35 

Meditation on 1 Samuel 3:3-10, 19. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved January 14, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/01/14/874873/ 

1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 6. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 14, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/6?13 

1 Samuel, CHAPTER 3. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 14, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1samuel/3?3 

Psalms, PSALM 40 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 14, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/40?2 

Rohr, R. (2024, January 14). The Inefficiency of Faith — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 14, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-inefficiency-of-faith/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). We Have Found the Messiah! Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 14, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jan14