In today's reading from John 1:35-42, we see Jesus being made manifest to another group of persons in John's disciples. In this gospel of John the story is the before the ministry of Jesus, John the Baptist introduces Jesus to his first disciples. Jesus invites them to "come and see". They spend a day with him and never turned back.
As we the faithful gather for midweek mass who are we introducing to Jesus?
Who are we inviting to "come and see"? Can you recall when you first recognized that Jesus truly existed? when Jesus wasn't somebody others spoke about, but someone you have truly experienced. If you think about it, you didn't come to faith by yourself. Somebody helped you along, a priest or another religious leader, bible study or prayer partner, Sunday School teacher, maybe just somebody who you admired and chose to be like. `
What was it that you experienced that made you make a lifelong commitment? Or are you still watching from afar?
If the latter is true, what do you seek? Jesus asks what do you want? It probably will be difficult to really say what you want if you have not thought about it. If you have just been going with the crowd. If you are in this group of persons, Jesus says "come and see". "Come and have a meaningful relationship with me".
When we meet new people, we take time to know them. Yes, something about them attracts us and we like Andrew and that other disciple are intrigued and look for every opportunity to be with them. That is the profound impression, Jesus made as John the Baptist spoke and Jesus passed by. Andrew and the unnamed disciple saw something in Jesus that they wanted. Remember Jesus had not yet started doing any miracles. According to John's account, the only knowledge of Jesus is John the Baptist testifying to the Pharisees that he, John the Baptist was not the messiah but the messiah is the one on whom the spirit of God rested. The passage says the very next day John saw Jesus and pointed him out as the lamb of God. Yet there was something about Jesus that pulled them to him.
Friends while we are getting to know Jesus better every day, we also need to be that person that pulls people to us for Jesus. Even though I know it is very hard, we must stand out as our best selves. It is hard, because we are so critical of ourselves and others, and not accepting that we are all human with different faults, but Jesus has called us never the less. Jesus has called us and will use us despite our insufficiency. Irrespective of our state or status we can be that unnamed disciple who comes and sees. OR we can be an Andrew who lead others into a deeper vocation, just by being ourselves and encouraging others in whom we see a call from God to a more meaningful life.
We, all of us including me have to do better at being Jesus to others. I don't know about you but I have to constantly be in touch with the fact that I represent Christ, or my bite would really be worse than my bark. I have learnt to not be upset when things don't go as planned. I try not to get caught up in exactly what I want things to look like, because I don't like disappointments, but more importantly, I recognize that God is in charge, and things don't work always as we want it, but it all comes out in the wash as God wants it. Everything works together for good of those who love the Lord and are called to God's purpose in them. Yes I still have pet peeves, and am bothered by the unresponsiveness of others, but God guides and in God's time, God brings what God has been working in you to fruition.
But we have to come and see, we have to acknowledge that God is our guiding light, that we are manifesting God in our lives and that God is being manifested in our lives. It is one thing to think we are doing and another thing if others are seeing and responding. Persons who know us should be able to refer to us and testify to our good works and Christlike behaviour, not for show, but to emulate. To say I want to have a relationship with God like you. So let us "come and see". Let us keep falling in love with Jesus.
As the song says: "Taste and see the goodness of the Lord"