Friends, as we return to Ordinary Time, today’s readings have a very practical and timely message. We find, in the first reading, the prophet Samuel and his mentor, Eli, working together to understand the call of the Lord. We, too, need to work to discern his call through our deafness and the noise of our culture. God is not one voice among many, but a hidden and mysterious voice that is difficult to discern even in the best of conditions. We are called to listen closely for God’s voice and to look for the modern-day Samuels.