HERE I AM

final concert for the St. Louis Jesuits

HERE I AM

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I think that the expectation is that when the voice of God speaks to one who has ears to hear and eyes to see, a positive outcome may be expected. But in the instances the calling of Isaiah and of Samuel, the outcome is more failure and more suffering. Isaiah's people refuse his warning and are sent into captivity. Samuel tells his mentor Eli that his house will be judged and found iniquitous allowing Philistines to dominate Israel, which they will.

Isaiah's call was dramatic including having having his mouth opened by the application to his lips of a hot coal. He knew he had been called and was authorized to deliver a message. Although Daniel was initially unsure that a call had been issued to him, he requested, received and acknowledged God's message to him.

This hymn is included in Worship in Song: A Friends Hymnal which we use in our meeting (Page 260.) When we sing it together it calls to our attention that we listen in the silence for the voice of truth, peace, justice and love to be spoken that we may hear and respond. Part of what we get from singing this is that the reply is personal: "Here I am, Send me." Although we know that we are not in charge of the outcome, and that there may be failure and suffering involved, we offer ourselves - our souls and bodies - to be of service to the Voice that speaks to us. 
   
Here I Am Lord

I, the Lord of sea and sky
I have heard my people cry
All who dwell in dark and sin
My hand will save
I who made the stars of night
I will make their darkness bright
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night
I will go, Lord
If You lead me
I will hold Your people in my heart

I, the Lord of wind and flame
I will tend the poor and lame
I will set a feast for them
My hand will save
Finest bread I will provide
'Til their hearts be satisfied
I will give my life to them
Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night
I will go, Lord
If You lead me
I will hold Your people in my heart
I will hold Your people in my heart

Isaiah 
[1] In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
[2] Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
[3] And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
[4] And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
[5] Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
[6] Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
[7] And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
[8] Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
[9] And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
[10] Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
[11] Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,
[12] And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.
[13] But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.

1Samuel 3

[1] And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
[2] And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;
[3] And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;
[4] That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.
[5] And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.
[6] And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.
[7] Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.
[8] And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.
[9] Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
[10] And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
[11] And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
[12] In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
[13] For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
[14] And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
[15] And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
[16] Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.
[17] And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.
[18] And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.
[19] And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
[20] And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.
[21] And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

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This is a contemporary hymn written in 1981 by Dan Schutte when he was associated with a Jesuit community in St Louis. The young novitiates were interested in folk music as it might be incorporated into the Catholic liturgy. Schutte was destined to become a composer rather than a priest.

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