In the Bible, God calls out to people in many and various ways, but the responses are not always the same. To Adam and Eve, God called out, and they hid. To Abraham, God called out, and Abraham left everything and followed God to a land far away. To Pharaoh, God calls out, but Pharaoh hardens his heart. And, in today's Scripture, God calls out to the young boy, Samuel, who responds with three simple words, "Here I am," and an openness to do the will of God. The power of opening one's heart to the will of God should never be underestimated: this power so often leads ordinary men and women to live extraordinary lives and shine as witnesses to the presence of God in the world.