The Church in Samuel's day was a mess. The high priest Eli "was asleep in his usual place. His eyes had lately grown so weak that he could not see" (1 Sm 3:2). Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, "treated the offerings to the Lord with disdain" because of their gluttony (1 Sm 2:17). They also had sexual "relations with the women serving at the entry of the meeting tent" (1 Sm 2:22). No wonder "a revelation of the Lord was uncommon and vision infrequent" (1 Sm 3:1).

Some of us also experience a lethargic, blind, greedy, and lustful church. We may not be as wicked as those in Samuel's "church," but we, like them, don't receive the Lord's revelations and visions that frequently. Under these circumstances, we feel like either leaving the Church or going to sleep. However, we should do what Samuel did. Samuel answered God's call, regardless of how wicked the "church" was. Then the Lord "revealed His presence" to him (1 Sm 3:10). "Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect" (1 Sm 3:19).

The Lord is renewing His Church even under the worst circumstances. He's working through people who stay in Church but don't stay asleep. He's working renewal through those who have faith enough to obey Him even when there seems no hope.

Rescript:  †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July 30, 2007

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