From The Word in other words (2018) by Fr Rodrigo Salac SVD (Philippines)
A mother told his son to buy a bottle of vinegar. The young boy took the money and rushed to a store half a mile away. Chasing his breath he asked thestorekeeper: “May I buy vinegar?” The storekeeper answered: “What kind of vinegar: Sugar cane, Coconut wine, or Apple cider?” The boy said: “Wait, I’ll ask mom.” After 15 minutes he was back. “Sugar cane vinegar,” he said. The storekeeper asked: “Which one: Silver Swan or Datu Puti?” The boy said: “Wait, I’ll ask mom.” After 25 minutes the boy is back, perspiring. “Datu Puti,” the boy said. The storekeeper said: “Bottled or tetra packed?” The boy said: “Bottled.” The storekeeper said: “Small, medium or large?” The obedient boy, crying and angry, went home bringing a medium-sized bottle of Datu Puti sugar cane vinegar.
This story is far from what transpires between Jesus and the Father. Jesus knows that obedience to the Father’s will is top priority – the Father who communicates his task properly and completely. Every now and then he sets aside precious moments of being alone in a lonely place to commune with his Father, listening to Him very intently. In our Gospel today, after praying, he decides to leave Peter’s place and head to other places to proclaim the Good News.
We see, in the first reading, the young Samuel doing this. He said: “Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening.” We need also to stop in silent prayer every now and then to listen intently to God talking to us. Let us remember we are tasked to find the WAY to the Father. If we do not listen very well we may lose the WAY and all our efforts in faith become useless.
