Today in John’s Gospel, I hear our Lord calling me, calling you, to follow.
“Jesus walked by, and John said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God,” and Andrew felt his presence and knew He was the Messiah, his Rabbi, His teacher. We, similarly, experience this when we witness Christ in the Eucharist and we feel Him look at us. We, like Andrew, know He is our King, our friend, our Savior, and we come to know he is changing us and want to know Him more.
Every time we experience His Presence, it is powerful, and can even overwhelm us at times with His Love and His call to come and follow. We hear Him asking us to look back at Him and to give to Him the same Love that He gives to us. Yet, we wonder, can we?
It is no accident that this Gospel today happens in the middle of the twelve days of Christmas, a long-standing tradition in the church. As we draw near to the Feast of the Epiphany in this Christmas Season, we see beautiful imagery in today’s readings of the Magi’s same encounter. The kings saw from afar the place where the Savior was, and they traveled to find Him. It is as if they heard him say, “‘Come and you will see.’ So they went and saw where he was staying and stayed with him that day.”
Seeing and Responding
The story often goes that they saw a star in the night, and through their education of the constellations, they knew this star was different. In a shortened summary, it pointed to the place of a new King. They were compelled to set out to see and to meet Him. In some ways, not being of the Chosen People, they did not know what lay ahead or all the teachings that prophesied the Messiah, yet they understood the journey and humbly trusted and set out.
They heard the call and responded, like Andrew in today’s Gospel. And, they didn’t think about their own well-being or what it would cost them to follow the star. They just went- in haste. Yet, without forgetting that they would meet a king, they gathered what they should for such a meeting. They prepared to honor Him in His glory, humility, and Love. They brought Him gifts fitting for a King and Savior.
In kind, they brought their love and, quite frankly, themselves, the most important of their gifts. This too, is the gift our Lord asks of us and is the most we can give him, our love, our total heart, our whole self.
A Time of Rebirth
Further, as we contemplate the similarities between Andrew’s call by our Lord and that of the Wise Men, it does not surprise us that in any encounter with our God, He never strays far from his simple message: “I am God, I love you. Come follow me; trust me with everything you have, and I will provide and show you where to rest.”
Today, interestingly enough, today’s Gospel begins in John Chapter 1 verse 35. The number 35 in many Bible studies represents Redemption and Saving. How appropriate and altogether not coincidental that the Lamb of God passes by Andrew and ultimately invites him to follow and be saved. But, most importantly, Christ welcomes Andrew to choose whether to come. “Where are you staying?” Andrew asks. Jesus answers simply, “Come and you will see.” It was up to Andrew if he responded.
Will you respond? Will you follow him to where He is? He meets you now, today, where you are, but then invites you to get out of yourself and come to where He is. The answer is simple, like the words of Mary at the invitation she was given: “Fiat.” Let it be done unto me as you will it.
Responding to God
This Gospel is an invitation maybe for some of you for the first time. Maybe it is a star in the sky, a voice calling in the night as the famous song goes: “Do you hear what I hear?” Saying yes sounds easy, “yes, Lord, I want to come and see where you are staying.” but in reality, it is hard. What does that mean for me to give up everything like the Kings, like Andrew, and follow you?
What does my personal “Fiat” look like? Some give all without thinking because they fall in love with God so quickly, it is never a question of trust or wanting to keep our will. We surrender quickly, “all in Lord. I surrender and give you all my love. Thank you for everything.”
For others, it is harder. I want to follow your will, but does that necessitate giving up everything? They let pride get in the way or desire a certain path they want that differs from what they think God wants. What do I do? Many of the saints, lucky enough, teach us the way in many of their works, some gentler than others, but ultimately, all are a path to total abandonment, true union with God and his Will. This is the house where our Lord is Staying. When He calls and says, “Come and see,” this is the house; it is a place of total surrender, but he lets us use our will to choose if we want to go in.
Bring this Love offered to those we Love
Why should we not want this for ourselves and our loved ones? Christ is offering us a new life, a way to live in the Father’s plan and in His love. Andrew couldn’t wait to learn from Jesus, whom he called “Rabbi” and “teacher,” so much so that he ran to get his brother and told Him he had found the Messiah. Immediately upon meeting him, Jesus “looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas, which is translated Peter.” He changed his name to tell him, you have responded, and now I give you your mission. (A change of name meant a change in your life mission).
Similarly, the kings, like Andrew, ran with only what they could bring to honor this new king and savior, and they gave their “fiat” without hesitation.
In these last days of the Christmas Season, let us run to the baby Jesus as He offers us new life, a time of renewal or rebirth in Him. Let us follow Him to the house where He is staying in this Gospel of John today. He wants to be with You! He loves you so much that He asked you by name to “come and see” what He wants to give you.
Will you respond? If you don’t know how, say, “I Surrender. Teach me, Lord, give me eyes to see.”
