Come and See

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time   14 January 2018

First reading: 1 Samuel 3:3-10, 19 Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called, "Samuel! Samuel!" and he said, "Here I am!" and ran to Eli,  and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call; lie down again."  So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, "Samuel!" Samuel got up and went  to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call, my son;  lie down again." Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord  had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said,  "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say,  ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.  Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, "Samuel! Samuel!"  And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." As Samuel grew up,  the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. Second reading: 1 Corinthians 6:13-15                        "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food"-and God will destroy both  one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord,  and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.  Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the  members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Gospel: John  1:35-42 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched  Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" The two disciples  heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?"  They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?"  He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him an said,  "You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter). Reflection by Grace B. Madriñan " What are you looking for?" – John 1:38 They say if you asked the wrong questions, you will get the wrong answers.   But sometimes, even the right questions, get responded with wrong answers.  We, Filipinos, tend to answer differently to some questions. “Kumain ka na?” (“Have you eaten?”)  One will respond,  “Busog pa ako.” (I’m still full.) “San ka pupunta?” (Where are you going?”) To which the response will be,  “Dyan lang sa malapit.” (Just near here.) I believe the apostles in today’s Gospel are somewhat like us.  When Jesus asked  the two disciples what they were looking for, they replied with another question,  "Where are you staying?"  I think they were a bit hesitant to answer directly so they  answered with another question.  They could have just answered,  “We want to follow You, Lord.  We will go with You.” Like most of us, maybe they don’t  want to commit just yet without making sure that Jesus is indeed, the Messiah.   They want some assurance that He is as good as John proclaimed Him to be. But Jesus knew better, He responded, “Come, and you will see.” (John 1:39).   He invited the disciples to come and be with Him and witness for themselves the kind of Shepherd that He is. And when they followed Him, all hearsay about Him has been  confirmed for they have witnessed His Divine Power first hand.  From then on,   it became easier for them to call their other friends and family to follow Him. Like the disciples,  we need only  to make one step towards the Lord and be willing  to come and experience Him. Only then will our eyes and hearts be opened,  discipleship will become second nature to us. Prayer God, our Father, forgive our reluctance to follow You. Erase our doubts and anxieties  and let Your love overflow so that we may be true disciples of Your Word.   In Jesus’ name. Amen.