"COME AND SEE" : 1 Sam 3:3b–10,19; 1 Cor 6:13c–15a,17–20; Jn 1:35–42 (2) B

 

 

“COME AND SEE”

1 Sam 3:3b–10,19; 1 Cor 6:13c–15a,17–20; Jn 1:35–42 (2) B

Today’s reading from the Gospel of John immediately follows John the Baptist's testimony about Jesus and his identification of Jesus as the Lamb of God. Having been baptized by John, Jesus begins to gather his followers. The first followers sought out Jesus because of the testimony and witness of John the Baptist.

But then, it is Jesus who initiated the calling his followers by his very appearance. It is the divine initiative. It is always God who takes the first step. When the human mind begins to seek and the human heart begins to long, God comes to meet us far more than half way. God does not leave a man or woman to search and search until he or she comes to him. God goes out to meet the mankind as St. Augustine said, “We could not even have begun to seek for God unless he had already found us”. When we go to God, we do not go to one who hides himself and keeps us at a distance. We go to the one who stands waiting for us and who even takes the initiative by coming to meet us on the road.

Jesus asked the disciples, “What are you looking for?” We need to apply this question to ourselves. And it would be well if every now and again we are to ask ourselves: What am I looking for? What’s my aim and goal? What am I really trying to get out of life? Some are searching for material security. They would like a position which is safe, money enough to meet the needs of life. This is not a wrong aim, but it is a low aim, and an inadequate thing to which to direct all life. 

Some are searching for a career, for power, prominence, prestige, for a place to fit the talents and the abilities they believe themselves to have, for an opportunity to do the work they believe themselves capable of doing. If this be directed by motives of personal ambition it can be a bad aim. If it be directed by motives of the service to the poor and needy it can be a high aim. But it is not enough, for its horizon is limited by time and by the world. Some are searching for some kind of peace, for something to enable them to live at peace with themselves, and at peace with God, and at peace with others. This is the search for God. Jesus can only supply and help us to meet this aim.

The disciples asked, “Rabbi, where do you live”? Jesus said, “Come and see!”. His invitation “Come and see” is an invitation not only to come and talk, but to come and find the things that he alone could reveal to us. It is to see and experience the way to God the Father in him – the only way, the truth and the life, life eternal. Whoever comes to him and experiences him, can never return to the old way of life. Life becomes celebration in the storms and colors of life.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him” (Ps 34:8)