Good Afternoon! Our Lenten devotional today is written by Mihali Cosse. Mihali is a Sophomore, Philosophy & Economics Double Major, from Shreveport, Louisiana. He is very active on campus serving as the President of TCU’s Orthodox Christian Fellowship, and a member of TCU’s Religious Advisory Council, and a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. Mihali loves good food and great conversation, and his spirit can light up a room as he often does at our Know Your Neighbor Nights events. I hope you enjoy his reflection today as you continue on your Lenten journey. Blessings to you and yours.
1 Kingdoms (1 Samuel) 3:8-9
“And the Lord called Samuel again a third time. Then he arose and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy. And he said, ‘Return, lie down, my child; and if He calls you, you must say, ‘O Lord, speak, for Your servant hears.’”
The Eye of the Soul
Just like Samuel, we are called by God in certain instances throughout the course of our lives. Many times, this call is not one that is audibly heard, but rather one that is perceived through the nous or eye of the soul. Without a pure soul that is disciplined and trained through spiritual practice for encounter with God, we cannot hope to rightly perceive God’s call. But in the soul that is properly oriented toward God, one is graced with the perception of their calling, vocation, and purpose. However, even once perceived, this person must choose to either run away and hide from God, like Adam in the garden, or to say, “Here I am, O Lord, speak, for Your servant hears” like Samuel, who accepted his blessed calling from God.
In this sense, the Lenten season is given over to two things. The first is the purification of the soul so we can rightly perceive God’s calling. The second is to recognize this calling, in each part of our daily life, and respond to it with obedience, humility, and joy. All of these things for the glory of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Trinity one in essence and undivided.
Let us pray.
Prayer (from St. Ephraim the Syrian)
O Lord and Master of my life, take away from me the spirit of laziness, despair, lust for power, and idle talk. But give rather the Spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to your servant. Yes, o Lord and King, help me to see my own faults and not to judge others, for blessed are you unto the ages of ages. Amen.
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