What ‘come, and you will see’ means
Jan. 14—Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: 1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19; Psalm 40, R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.; 1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20; Gospel—John 1:35-42In his book, “Mentor,” Laurent Daloz pointed out that the first task of a mentor is to ask the mentee what his/her dreams are. These dreams represent the deepest longings and desires, the deepest aspirations of a person.
This is akin to what the Lord asked His first two disciples in today’s Gospel, “What are you looking for?” (cf. John 1:35-42) This will be our first point for reflection.
The second point is Jesus’ invitation to the two: “Come, and you will see.” Then the final point is the examples of John the Baptist and Andrew in leading others to Jesus.
“What are you looking for?” What are your dreams? What is your deep gladness, as author, Presbyterian minister and theologian Frederick Buechner put it.
The question is not only simply for the mentor to know the mentee’s dreams. It is also—perhaps more important—for the mentee to gain greater awareness of the deepest movements in his/her life and person. This is a question that we face at the start of our journeys in life towards purpose, meaning and, ultimately, life mission. It is question we continuously reflect on and respond to in the different stages of our life.
Personal choice
What are your dreams? What are you looking for? These are guideposts on our journey that keep us in touch with the original inspiration, the grace of a call—or longing—that leads to being a follower of Jesus in mission.
The response of two disciples to the question Jesus posed was interesting. “Rabbi, where are You staying?”
This occasioned the response of Jesus, “Come, and you will see”—our second point for reflection.
This is reminiscent of St. Ignatius of Loyola’s prescribed grace in the Second Week of the Spiritual Exercise: “Lord, that I may see You more clearly, love You more dearly and follow You more nearly.”
It was, as it were, a trial period of discipleship. “Come,” to follow to see what one is getting into. In a sense, it is an invitation to discernment.
It is the invitation to be in Jesus’ presence to see who he is and what His mission is. It is the knowing of Jesus for one to make a choice. It espouses greater freedom to make a very conscious and personal choice.
In the flow of grace prescribed by St. Ignatius, the seeing and the knowing lead to a very personal relationship with the Lord. To see clearly leads to the choice to love more dearly.
To see Jesus in our life, especially post Cross and Resurrection, the era of the Spirit of the Risen Lord, is to live in the presence of His love, the perfect love of the Cross and Resurrection.The choice is to follow Him in the pattern of the Cross and Resurrection, returning love for love and following His as an expression of the Ignatian “love is best expressed in deeds.”
This was the choice the two disciples, Andrew and John, faced when they “came and saw.” After seeing them, they chose to be His follower.
“Come, and you will see.” What are these invitations to us in our day to day life to come, see, know and love Jesus more intimately?More dearly
Loving him more dearly finds its expression in following Him more nearly. We become His disciples, in the same way John, Andrew, Peter and Nathaniel (or Bartholomew) become the first disciples through “come and you will see.”
What is this flow of grace in our own life? Do we enter moments of “come, and you will see”? These are moments of prayer and reflection, the celebration of the Mass and the practice of our devotions, like the praying of the Holy Rosary, the moments of discernment and reflection amid daily activities.This is the essence of being contemplative-in-action. We find God in all things that we may follow Him more closely.
Our last point for our reflection is the John the Baptists and Andrews in our journey.
Who pointed us to Jesus like John the Baptist did Andrew and John? These are perhaps the people who loved and cared for us so that we may see and know the love of Jesus.
Who brought us to Jesus in the same way Andrew brought Peter to Jesus—and later the young lad with five loaves and two fish? All of them facilitated the plan of God and the working of God’s miracles.
Equally important to pray over and reflect on, how do we become John the Baptists and Andrews to others? This is a life lived with great meaning, pointing others to Jesus, bringing others to Jesus.
For all of us, it is a life of loving and serving God and others by being instruments in His hands. —Contributed INQ
