2 OTB.12; 1Sam 3:3-19; 1Cor 6:13-20; John 1:35-42
Jesus asks you a question today, “What are you looking for?”
He first asked this question in today’s gospel. The potential disciples didn’t answer his question, “What are you looking for?” It is one of the most difficult questions of all. Instead they asked a question of their own, “Where are you staying?” This showed that they felt some attraction; their minds & hearts were somehow drawn to him & to what he was.
What did Jesus see? *
“A pile of rocks ceases to be a pile a rocks when someone has a
cathedral in mind.” (A. de Saint-Exupery)
When you look in the mirror what do you see?What do you see when you look around this sanctuary at all of these people? Go on look at them! Have you ever really looked at the faces of those sit in front of you or behind you or on the far left side or the far right side?
What do you see when you look out at the world through the newspapers you read & the television, or computer screen you watch?Do you see a world filled with piles & piles of rocks … or do you see cathedrals?When Jesus first laid eyes on his would-be disciples he didn’t see a pile of rocks, he saw the beginnings of a cathedral, a church. Jesus looked at the likes of Andrew, Simon, Philip, & Nathaniel & saw great potential, great God-given potential. He didn’t see rocks, he saw diamonds in the rough. Jesus didn’t see a bunch of uneducated, salty, low-income fishermen, he didn’t focus on the “what appeared to be,” he saw the “what could be.”
(Source; Rocks or Cathedrals: What Do You See?, London, Come and See)
What can you be?
*We Christians talk a lot about, “the Christian message,” as if it could be written on a piece of paper. But more profoundly it is an attraction. Many have it who have no words, no ready answers. And some who have many ready answers feel nothing of the attraction.
Do you focus, like Jesus, on what could be?
What do people see, hear, & feel when you are around?
Listen to what you could be …..
I saw Jesus last Sunday. He was teaching a Bible class. He didn't talk real loud or use long words, But you could tell he believed what he said. For just 2 a minute, he looked like my Bible teacher. But it was Jesus, I could tell by his loving voice.
I saw Jesus yesterday. He was at the hospital visiting a friend who was sick. They prayed together quietly. For just a minute he looked like Brother Jones. But it was Jesus, I could tell by the tears in his eyes.
I saw Jesus this morning. He was in my kitchen making my breakfast & fixing me a special lunch. For just a minute he looked like my mom. But it was Jesus, I could feel the love from his heart.
I see Jesus everywhere, Taking food to the sick . . . Welcoming others to his home, Being friendly to a newcomer . . . and for just a minute, I think he's someone I know. But it's always Jesus . . . I can tell by the way he serves.
Most of us became Catholics as infants, that makes us “cradle Catholics,” a term that has positive & negative connotations. On the positive side, our hearts were opened to the gospel at an early age. But on the negative side, we may assume that we are doing just fine without questioning our faith or deciding for ourselves whether we really do … believe in Jesus.
The truth is, we all need to choose for Jesus at some point in our lives. We all need to proclaim in our hearts: “I have found the Messiah” (Jn 1:41). This is what happened to the disciples in today’s Gospel, & this is what ought to happen to every one of us. What motivated these two & all the other disciples to follow Jesus so radically? Simply put, they came to realize who he was. They came to see him as Lord & Savior, Messiah & Redeemer, and that realization … changed their lives forever.
Those of us who are cradle Catholics can use today’s Gospel as a catalyst to ask ourselves: “Who do I think Jesus is?”
Because they took up Jesus’ invitation to come & see, Andrew & Peter’s hearts were changed (John l: 39). And that change of heart initiated a process of change in their minds as well. They began to think & act differently.
Jesus wants to have the same impact on our lives. He wants to change the way we think and act. This renewal of our minds may take a lifetime, as it did for these apostles. But just as it happened for them, so must it happen for us: Every “mind-change” process begins with a “heart change.”
(Some ideas: The Word Among Us, 01/12)
We have to meet Jesus, personally.
At this Liturgy, let us realize that each of us
… has to be able to say on our own:
“I have found the Messiah!
Jesus asks you a question today, “What are you looking for?”
He first asked this question in today’s gospel. The potential disciples didn’t answer his question, “What are you looking for?” It is one of the most difficult questions of all. Instead they asked a question of their own, “Where are you staying?” This showed that they felt some attraction; their minds & hearts were somehow drawn to him & to what he was.
What did Jesus see? *
“A pile of rocks ceases to be a pile a rocks when someone has a
cathedral in mind.” (A. de Saint-Exupery)
When you look in the mirror what do you see?What do you see when you look around this sanctuary at all of these people? Go on look at them! Have you ever really looked at the faces of those sit in front of you or behind you or on the far left side or the far right side?
What do you see when you look out at the world through the newspapers you read & the television, or computer screen you watch?Do you see a world filled with piles & piles of rocks … or do you see cathedrals?When Jesus first laid eyes on his would-be disciples he didn’t see a pile of rocks, he saw the beginnings of a cathedral, a church. Jesus looked at the likes of Andrew, Simon, Philip, & Nathaniel & saw great potential, great God-given potential. He didn’t see rocks, he saw diamonds in the rough. Jesus didn’t see a bunch of uneducated, salty, low-income fishermen, he didn’t focus on the “what appeared to be,” he saw the “what could be.”
(Source; Rocks or Cathedrals: What Do You See?, London, Come and See)
What can you be?
*We Christians talk a lot about, “the Christian message,” as if it could be written on a piece of paper. But more profoundly it is an attraction. Many have it who have no words, no ready answers. And some who have many ready answers feel nothing of the attraction.
Do you focus, like Jesus, on what could be?
What do people see, hear, & feel when you are around?
Listen to what you could be …..
“I SEE JESUS” is an article by Summer Waters, age 11:
I saw Jesus last week. He was wearing blue jeans & an old shirt. He was up at the church building; He was alone and working hard. For just a minute he looked a little like one of our members. But it was Jesus, I could tell by his smile.I saw Jesus last Sunday. He was teaching a Bible class. He didn't talk real loud or use long words, But you could tell he believed what he said. For just 2 a minute, he looked like my Bible teacher. But it was Jesus, I could tell by his loving voice.
I saw Jesus yesterday. He was at the hospital visiting a friend who was sick. They prayed together quietly. For just a minute he looked like Brother Jones. But it was Jesus, I could tell by the tears in his eyes.
I saw Jesus this morning. He was in my kitchen making my breakfast & fixing me a special lunch. For just a minute he looked like my mom. But it was Jesus, I could feel the love from his heart.
I see Jesus everywhere, Taking food to the sick . . . Welcoming others to his home, Being friendly to a newcomer . . . and for just a minute, I think he's someone I know. But it's always Jesus . . . I can tell by the way he serves.
(Source; esermons.com/Church)
When people see you, do they see, hear & feel Jesus?Most of us became Catholics as infants, that makes us “cradle Catholics,” a term that has positive & negative connotations. On the positive side, our hearts were opened to the gospel at an early age. But on the negative side, we may assume that we are doing just fine without questioning our faith or deciding for ourselves whether we really do … believe in Jesus.
The truth is, we all need to choose for Jesus at some point in our lives. We all need to proclaim in our hearts: “I have found the Messiah” (Jn 1:41). This is what happened to the disciples in today’s Gospel, & this is what ought to happen to every one of us. What motivated these two & all the other disciples to follow Jesus so radically? Simply put, they came to realize who he was. They came to see him as Lord & Savior, Messiah & Redeemer, and that realization … changed their lives forever.
Those of us who are cradle Catholics can use today’s Gospel as a catalyst to ask ourselves: “Who do I think Jesus is?”
Because they took up Jesus’ invitation to come & see, Andrew & Peter’s hearts were changed (John l: 39). And that change of heart initiated a process of change in their minds as well. They began to think & act differently.
Jesus wants to have the same impact on our lives. He wants to change the way we think and act. This renewal of our minds may take a lifetime, as it did for these apostles. But just as it happened for them, so must it happen for us: Every “mind-change” process begins with a “heart change.”
(Some ideas: The Word Among Us, 01/12)
We have to meet Jesus, personally.
At this Liturgy, let us realize that each of us
… has to be able to say on our own:
“I have found the Messiah!