GOSPEL READING:
John 1:35-4235 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples; 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, "What do you seek?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" 39 He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, "So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter).
Meditation: Who is Jesus for you? John calls Jesus the Lamb
of God and thus signifies Jesus' mission as the One who
redeems us from our sins. The blood of the Passover Lamb
(Exodus 12) delivered the Israelites from their oppression in
Egypt and from the plague of death. The Lord Jesus freely offered
up his life for us on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our
sins (1 Corinthians 5:7). The blood which he poured out for us on
the cross cleanses, heals, and frees us from our slavery to sin,
and from the "wages of sin which is death" (Romans 6:23) and the
"destruction of both body and soul in hell" (Matthew 10:28).
It is significant that John was the son of the priest, Zachariah,
who participated in the daily sacrifice of a lamb in the temple
for the sins of the people (Exodus 29). In Jesus John saw the true
and only sacrifice which could deliver us from bondage to sin,
death, and the powers of hell. How did John know the true identity
of Jesus, as the Son of God and Savior of the world (John 1:29)?
The Holy Spirit revealed to John Jesus' true nature, such that
John bore witness that this is the Son of God. How can we be
certain that Jesus is truly the Christ, the Son of the living God?
The Holy Spirit makes the Lord Jesus Christ known to us through
the gift of faith. God gives us freely of his Spirit that we may
comprehend - with enlightened minds and eyes of faith - the great
mystery and plan of God to unite all things in his Son, our Lord
Jesus Christ.
"What do you seek?"
John in his characteristic humility was eager to point beyond
himself to the Christ (means Anointed One and Messiah).
He did not hesitate to direct his own disciples to the Lord Jesus.
When two of John's disciples began to seek Jesus out, Jesus took
the initiative to invite them into his company. He did not wait
for them to get his attention. Instead he met them halfway. He
asked them one of the most fundamental questions of life: "What
are you looking for?" Jesus asks each one of us the same
question:"What are you searching for? Do you know the meaning and
purpose for your life?" Only God, the Father and Author of life,
can answer that question and make our purpose fully known to us.
That is why the Lord Jesus invites each one of us to draw near to
himself. He wants us to know him personally - to know what he came
to do for us and what he wants to offer us.
"Come and see"
"Come and see" is the Lord's invitation for each one of us to
discover the joy of friendship and communion with the One who made
us in love for love. Saint Augustine of Hippo reminds us that it
is God, our Creator and Redeemer, who seeks us out, even when we
are not looking for him: "If you hadn't been called by God, what
could you have done to turn back? Didn't the very One who called
you when you were opposed to Him make it possible for you to turn
back?" It is God who initiates and who draws us to himself.
Without his mercy and help we could not find him on our own.
When we find something of great value it's natural to want to
share the good news of our discovery with our family, friends, and
neighbors. When Andrew met Jesus and discovered that he was truly
the Messiah, he immediately went to his brother Simon and told him
the good news. Andrew brought his brother to meet Jesus so he
could "come and see" for himself. When Jesus saw Simon approaching
he immediately reached out to Simon in the same way he had done
for Andrew earlier. Jesus looked at Simon and revealed that he
knew who Simon was and where he came from even before Simon had
set his eyes on Jesus. Jesus gave Simon a new name which signified
that God had a personal call and mission for him. Jesus gave Simon
the name "Cephas" which is the Aramaic word for "rock". Cephas is
translated as Peter (Petros in Greek and Petrus in
Latin) which also literally means "rock".
To call someone a "rock" was one of the greatest compliments in
the ancient world. The rabbis had a saying that when God saw
Abraham, he exclaimed: "I have discovered a rock to found the
world upon." Through Abraham God established a nation for himself.
Through faith Peter grasped who Jesus truly was - the Anointed
One (Messiah and Christ) and the only
begotten Son of God. The New Testament describes the church as a
spiritual house or temple with each member joined together as
living stones (see 1 Peter 2:5). Faith in Jesus Christ makes us
into rocks or spiritual stones. The Holy Spirit gives us the gift
of faith to know the Lord Jesus personally, power to live the
gospel faithfully, and courage to witness the truth and joy of the
Gospel to others. The Lord Jesus is ever ready to draw us to
himself. Do you seek to grow in the knowledge and love of the Lord
Jesus Christ?
Lord Jesus Christ, fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit that I may grow in the knowledge of your great love and truth. Let your Spirit be aflame in my heart that I may joyfully seek to do your will in all things.
Psalm 98:1,7-9
1 O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it!
8 Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together
9 before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: The first disciples longing for the Messiah, by John Chrysostom (349-407 AD)
"Andrew, after having stayed with Jesus and after having learned
what he did, did not keep the treasure to himself but hurries and
races to his brother in order to let him know the good things
Jesus has shared with him. But why hasn't John mentioned what they
talked about? How do we know this is why they 'stayed with
him'?... Observe what Andrew says to his brother, 'We have found
the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.' You see
how, in a short time, he demonstrates not only the persuasiveness
of the wise teacher but also his own longing that he had from the
beginning. For this word, 'we have found,' is the expression of a
soul that longs for his presence, looking for his coming from
above, and is so ecstatic when what he is looking for happens that
he hurries to tell others the good news. This is what brotherly
affection, natural friendship, is all about when someone is eager
to extend a hand to another when it comes to spiritual matters.
Also see how he adds the article, for he does not say 'Messiah'
but 'the Messiah.' They were expecting the Christ who would have
nothing in common with the others." (excerpt from HOMILIES
ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 19.1)
