We have found the Messiah – Jn 1:35-42
John the Baptist stands with his disciples and Jesus walks by. Seeing Jesus passing by John says: Behold the Lamb of God. He points his disciples to Jesus, saying: It is He. It was him that I announced. The disciples immediately leave John and follow Jesus. It is an expression of incredible humility on the part of John the Baptist, to withdraw into the shadows, to let his disciples go, to follow another teacher or rather: The Teacher. It is also a kind of an indication for us, we have people around us for whom we are a model, spiritual guides, we tell them about God and Jesus. But there comes a time when we must let them go so that they can follow Him on their own. We are to lead others to Him, but we are not Him.
But let us move on.
“The two disciples heard him speak and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, what are you looking for? They said to Him, Rabbi! - it means: Teacher - where are you staying? He answered them, Come, and you will see. So, they went and saw where Jesus was staying, and they stayed with him that day.
It was about four in the afternoon.”
John's disciples immediately follow Jesus. This shows them that the Lamb of God is a driving force to act, to make a radical decision. Whenever someone points out Jesus to us, we are faced with a similar choice. Leave everything that was your life so far and start something new. Something that is - perhaps - the beginning of the greatest Adventure of your life. Or to maintain the status quo, standing in the same place.
Jesus turns around and asks: What are you looking for? It is not enough to follow him. Without thinking, without reflecting on the sense of this path. In following Him, you must have a specific goal. Where do you want to go and, consequently: what do you want to achieve on this path?
The disciples answered by asking: Where are you staying? And then Jesus says: Come and you will see ... Thus, Jesus invites them to visit him. Inviting home is an important step. After all, you are not inviting "just anyone." You do not tell the first person you meet on the street: "come over for a coffee with me." You invite home a person who is important to you with whom you want to build a friendship, relationship. This Jesus' "Come and see" is an invitation to the community, it is an invitation to build relationships. The disciples followed him, saw where he was staying and stayed. This is how the community was born.
One of the two who heard this from John the Baptist and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. First, when he met his brother, said to him, we have found the Messiah - that is, Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. Andrew is the patron of the Schools of the New Evangelization. Why? This question is answered by the following sentences: Andrew goes to his brother and tells him: listen! we met Jesus. He is the Messiah, come with me, I will introduce Him to You. Perhaps you too will become his disciple.
Meeting with Jesus is an important event in our lives. And we cannot leave these experiences for ourselves. Everyone who has met Him personally wants to share it with their loved ones. I want to tell my friends about Him. And lead them to Him. This is what Andrew does. He goes to tell his brother that he has met Christ.
What is next? Jesus looking at Peter said, you are Simon, the son of John; your name shall be Cephas, that is, Peter. It is surprising what Jesus does. Andrew brings his brother and Jesus does not say: Andrew you did well. You are good, I give you a plus grade. But he turns to Simon - You are Simon, but your name will be Peter. And Peter means Rock. In ancient cultures, name was synonymous with identity. Change of name = change of identity. There are a number of times in the Bible the "ritual" of changing the name. God says: You were Abram, you will be Abraham. You were Jacob, you will be Israel. When Jacob's wife names one of her sons Benoi (Son of my sorrows) Jacob changes them to Benjamin (Son of my right hand) So we see how important it is to give Simon a new name
What does this mean for us?
When we bring others to Jesus, He can handle them in completely unexpected ways. We may think that by bringing our brothers to Him, we will score some points "up there". However, God may have completely different plans. And it is precisely those whom we bring that may turn out to be great apostles and even saints in the future, and we will remain "humble workers of the Lord's vineyard" to the end. And that is what our evangelization should look like. We are to be like Andrew. Bring others to Jesus ... not counting on praise or gratuities ... Is that what we do?
One more thought
The words of John the Baptist are repeated in the Church every day before Holy Communion. Because Holy Communion is not only a gift of the real presence of Jesus. In Holy Communion, the Lord Jesus comes to us as the Lamb of God who suffered for our sins - as the One in whose cross good ultimately and irrevocably turned out to be stronger than evil. Therefore, to the words of John the Baptist, "Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world.", the priest adds the words from the Apocalypse of St. John: " Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb." - for this is that we come to Holy Communion for, so that we may come to eternal life with its power. And this is why Christ the Lord sacrificed himself for us on the cross, so that he could not only feed us with his Body on this earth, but also lead us to his Father's house for his Eternal banquet.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george