Tuesday of the First Week of Ordinary Time
Some people might say that you can be religious without going to church. They might say that they can pray just well at home as they can at church. Today's readings are a counter argument to these individualistic thought.
In both the first and gospel reading we see the people in the story making a journey to their place of worship (the temple or the synagogue). They do this with the intention of finding God and asking Him to help them. What do Hannah and the man with demons find? They find people. Hannah tries with all her might, mumbling to herself, as she prays that she might have a child. Eli sees her praying so fervently that he thinks she is drunk. Once he figures out what she is doing he wants to help. “Go in peace” he says to her and then asks God to grant her what she has asked for.
This is what we find in church. A community of people who are willing to help us and pray with us. Sometimes without even knowing the problem. They hear our cry and reach out to help. We are called to do this for each other as well. We come to church every Sunday to worship the Lord not as individuals but as a group of believers. We may not know everyone's name but as we see others we come together as a community of disciples.
- Elizabeth Schweitzer