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Gospel Reflection – January 14, 2026
Speak, Lord
The Lord speaks, and He does so “in many and various ways” (Heb 1:1), doing so most clearly and definitively in Jesus Christ. Jesus also speaks in many ways, yet it can sometimes seem to us—just like in the time of Samuel—that the word of the Lord has become rare.
This isn’t because the Lord has gone mute, but because we have gone deaf. Sometimes we think the Lord has to speak in an overwhelming, shocking, or extraordinary way, and if He doesn’t, we assume He is silent. But that’s not true. God speaks in that Incarnate Word—human and daily—who is Jesus.
We see this clearly today. It is a word directed personally, attending to concrete needs, as in the case of Peter’s mother-in-law. It isn’t just a “magic” word limited to fixing the body—though it does that too (just as many Christians do when they care for the material needs of others). It also heals the spirit and breathes into it a spirit of service (as we see, again, with Peter’s mother-in-law, who immediately began to serve them). In this woman, we find a synthesis of those who care for others’ needs and those who are cared for by them.
But Jesus’ word isn’t limited to close circles or short distances. It opens up to the needs of everyone, without national, religious, or ideological filters. And Jesus teaches us that His word is also directed to the Father through prayer, giving us the example Himself. Finally, the Word, which is Jesus Himself, is on the move. It is a dynamic Word that doesn’t wait for people to come to it; it goes out searching and meeting people where they are.
God is still speaking: in His proclaimed Word, in the sacraments that feed and heal us, in personal inspirations, and in the needs of our brothers and sisters, which are also a call from God. He speaks in multiple forms. It is not a rare word: it isn’t scarce, nor is it strange. It is a word we can understand, absorb, and put into practice. Perhaps all we need is to learn to pray with the heart, using the words Samuel teaches us today: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”