Come and See for Yourself!

 

Deacon Dave · Come and See for Yourself!

Homily for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 14, 2024. The Gospel of St. John 1:35-42. Theme: Come and See for Yourself! 

 In today’s Gospel, the evangelist St. John takes us with him on a trip down memory lane. We’re going back in time to that unforgettable day when he, together with his friend and fishing partner, St. Andrew first met Jesus of Nazareth. The text leaves Andrew’s companion in this story unnamed, but tradition tells us that it was John himself. And this key moment was obviously such a vivid memory in his life because, although he is writing about it nearly 70 years after it happened, he remembers the little detail that it was around 4 o’clock in the afternoon when it all began. 

 They were on the bank of the Jordan River when Jesus came walking by. St. John the Baptist drew their attention to a man in the crowd by calling Him the Lamb of God. Now, both John and Andrew knew that this meant that this stranger from Nazareth was somehow connected with the prophecy of the Messiah, and so desiring to know more about Him, they started following behind Jesus as he walked past them. Suddenly, the Lamb of God, knowing full well that He was being followed, turned around and faced them, asking, “What are you looking for?” The two men made their intentions known and I can imagine them feeling a rush of adrenaline when Christ responded positively, inviting them to “come and see”! The story ends by telling us that the two disciples spent the rest of that day in the home of Jesus, talking with Him, observing Him, and listening to Him. 

But at this point we need to realize that John isn’t just sharing a cherished memory with us. He’s encouraging us to “come and see” for ourselves just Who Jesus of Nazareth is and what He can mean in our lives. He wants us to experience what He and Andrew experienced. While we do not have the historical possibility of doing this in the flesh as they did, it is still extremely possible for us to encounter Jesus personally, to be with Him and speak with Him. His Resurrection has made this possible, freeing Him from the boundaries of space and time and enabling Him to be present to us in the Eucharist, in the Gospels, in the community gathered in His Name, and in the persons of the suffering poor. 

 We can encounter Christ first and foremost in the Real and Abiding Presence of the Blessed Sacrament. This is made possible by the power of the Spirit, Who transforms the bread and wine of the Eucharist into the Living Body and Blood of Christ. And this miraculous change is not a temporary one, meant to last only during Mass and Holy Communion. Jesus remains with us always in the tabernacles of our parish churches and going there to pray can be very much like Andrew and John going to Jesus’ house. We will find Christ always at home there, and through the Abiding Presence of the Eucharist He can reach out to us, inviting us to “come and see” by spending time with Him in conversational prayer. 

 Jesus is also present in the Scriptures and especially the Gospels which contain His words. It’s different from the Eucharist but nonetheless a very real presence As a matter of fact, the great theologian St. Augustine used to encourage Christians to show reverence towards the Word of God, just as they show reverence towards the Eucharist, for both are vehicles of the Lord's Presence. When we read the Gospels with faith, Jesus jumps off the page, so to speak, to interact with us and grab our attention. We can sense His Presence near us as He speaks to our hearts. It’s best to ponder the Word of God in an atmosphere of inner and outer silence because it's hard to hear the voice of the Lord when noise is all around us and within us. 

 Jesus also declared that He would be present through His disciples for He said, “Where two or three are gathered in my Name, there I am in the midst of them.” (Mt. 18:20) Thus the importance of remembering that we are the Mystical Body of Christ gathered in HIs Name. This means we are, indeed, a form of His presence. I know of people who say they sensed this presence of Jesus and were drawn to get to know Him because of the friendliness and hospitality they experienced in a parish. This reminds me that we may very well be the best opportunity a person gets to interact with a Catholic Christian up close and personal. Are we going to lead them to Jesus by our actions? Do we smile at others, engage in conversation or welcome someone we have never seen before? Being a positive member of the Christian community can be a powerful way of imaging Jesus for others and inviting them to “come and see” what He is all about. 

 And lastly, Christ made Himself mystically present through all who experience any form of suffering and need when He said, “whatsoever you do to the least of these, you do to Me.” There are countless true stories of those who at first had no faith or very little faith, but who encountered the Presence of the Risen Lord and experienced a conversion because of their active involvement in works of mercy. The lives of the saints are full of such stories, so much so that I would almost venture to say that it was the norm more than the exception! This is because when we practice charity, even if it's from a selfish motive at first, it puts us into direct contact with God Who is Love. And if our hearts are in the right place then our original motives gradually become purified and selfishness begins to melt away as we see and touch and serve the Risen Christ in the persons of the poor and suffering. This can be so powerfully life-changing! 

 So, there’s no need for us to wish we lived back in the days of Andrew and John when we could walk the dusty roads of Palestine with Jesus and spend personal quality time with Him. The truth is that we actually have it better than they did! For they could only experience Jesus from the outside, so to speak. But we, because of the Resurrection and the various ways He has chosen to remain with us, can know Him from the inside out as He lives both with us and within us in ways that those first disciples could only hope for and imagine.