By Lissy Maruthanakuzhy
Panaji, Jan 22, 2020: Every time I read the story of Eli the priest in the Old Testament, I am fascinated by Hannah the desperate woman and the would-be prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 1: 9-20, 3 ff). Or am I challenged or touched by them?
Relationship in life is about communication and communication builds up relationships: between God and his people, among people. Many saints have been blessed at times to hear God speaking to them in visions, burning bushes or angelic interventions.
Hannah communicated with God through prayer and tears; she was in great pain. She spoke very intimately with God about her concern –to bless her with a child.
Eli, the priest misunderstood the weeping woman. He thought she was inebriated. His observation led to a poor communication with Hannah. He thought he had all the information just observing Hannah from afar.
But he was humble and corrected himself quickly. And, the moment turned out to be one of connection and grace.
The ability of Hannah to connect with Eli brought compassion, and peace flowed from the communication.
Whenever I read the story, little by little, I am enlightened discovering the “Eli” in me. Of course, not the great priest. But the sporadic, not ready to listen, all knowing attitude, God’s chosen one, the not-wanting-to-be-disturbed “Eli,” living in God’s temple.
And the story challenges me to bring to life the other side of “Eli” dormant in me –the loving, concerned, God’s favored one, ever ready with a listening ear, willing to sacrifice and to be bothered at any time of the day or night.
It is a tug of war within me. A fight between good and evil. It is a daily challenge.
I realize, when I patiently listen to the story of another in distress it is God’s grace that guides me. Eli listened with his heart after the first blurt of impatience, and entered into the life story of Hannah. He touched her pain. And the outcome was amazing: a blessing for a child came forth from the mouth of the priest Eli. God spoke through him and a life was transformed. He was God’s channel of blessing.
My humble nature is weak and brittle. The divine in me is amazing and life-giving.
I also learned that when we take our worries to God in prayer, we ought to be ready to hear him answer through someone else as Hannah did.
A kind word, an attentive ear, a new insight, or a gentle course of correction–God uses one or all these to reach another one.
We cannot expect to hear God only in mystical experiences.
God speaks through us to others, and we also need to listen to people around us, to hear God’s message for us.
(Lissy Maruthanakuzhy is a Daughters of St Paul sister serving in the archdiocese of Goa and Daman.)