Sharing God Experience
(Second Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Scripture:
John 1:35-42,
1 Corinthians 6:13-15,
1 Corinthians 6:17-20,
1 Samuel 3:3-10,
1 Samuel 3:19,
Psalms 40:8-9.
Reflection
My dear sisters and brothers,
Today, let us listen to the text from the Gospel according to Saint John (1:35-42) for our reflection:
“John was standing with two of his disciples,
and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God.”
The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.
Jesus turned and saw them following him and 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 you will see.”
So they went and saw where Jesus was staying,
and they stayed with him that day.
It was about four in the afternoon.
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter,
was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.
He first found his own brother Simon and told him,
“We have found the Messiah”—which is translated Christ—.
Then he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said,
“You are Simon the son of John;
you will be called Cephas”—which is translated Peter.”
There was a King, who did a long period of penance for the vision of God.
One day, the king had a vision of God.
The king was overjoyed and asked God for a blessing.
God also rejoiced in the king’s penance.
So, God told the king to ask for any boon.
The king humbly asked for a vision to all his people including the queen, the royal family, the ministers, and the people of his country.
This was strange.
God responded that it depends on each one’s vocation and purpose of life.
Nevertheless, God agreed to the king’s wish.
God granted what the king asked for.
God said to the king, “There is a high mountain, where you will all come together and then I will do as you wish.”
The king was happy.
The king announced to everyone in the country what had happened and invited everyone to come together so that they could go to the mountain, praying and walking.
All gathered and walked towards the mountain.
Everyone started climbing the mountain with the king eager to see God.
After walking a short distance up on the mountain, the copper rocks appeared.
Lots of people left right away and they also began to carry on their heads the copper found by breaking the rock.
The king said to people, “God’s presence is going to be available for all and all this copper is nothing before it.”
“Come on, let’s continue climbing,” said the king.
To which they replied, “O! king, this is what is needed now for us. What do we get with the presence of God in our lives?
The king called the rest of them and started to climb.
After walking some more distance towards the mountain, they came across silver rocks.
The rest of the public, who saw it, ran towards it, and bundled the silver pieces and began to move to their homes.
The king again shouted to the people, “God’s presence would be priceless!”
“It would be available soon. What are these silver lumps going to be used for before the presence of God?”, the king said.
The people began to measure as much as possible saying that the silver was now more than the sight of God and the silver lumps would help their survival.
The king began to climb the mountain with the rest of the royal family.
Now, in the distance appeared a mountain of gold.
The royal family and the ministers went there.
Now, only the king and queen were left.
The king crossed half the mountain with the queen.
There was a diamond mountain.
The queen saw it.
She said, “The diamond is so important to me now.”
Finally, the king was left alone.
The king went and stood alone on the top of the mountain.
God again appeared before the king, laughed, and asked, “Where are your people?”.
The king bowed his head saying that they all went to pick up the material things.
The king said to God, “They do not know the difference between good and bad. Forgive me.”
God said to the king, “Only a handful of people in the world know who I am. It is not easy for others to see me! There are many people on this earth who are covered in the mud of worldly desires. They all belong to the body, wealth, property, copper, silver, gold, diamonds, name and fame, power and authority. They are trapped in such deceptive illusions. He, who is willing will reach me beyond all these, is true son or daughter to me. Did you understand?”.
The king who asked for the absurd boon understood the reality.
If our purpose is high, the obstacles we face to achieve it will not have a big impact on us for sure.
At the same time, we must know that what we force others to do…would not work.
We encounter a similar situation in today’s Gospel text.
John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus and clearly knows his purpose in his life.
He was not a light, but he showed the light to his disciples and all who followed him.
He humbled himself.
John the Baptist shows how to have a peaceful transition when we understand our definite purpose in the world.
It is not an easy task.
It is difficult.
It can be done when we are spiritually sound in our lives.
It can be possible when we reflect on the Word of God every day in our lives.
Otherwise, it is a hard reality to accept.
John the Baptist understood that his disciples need to go spiritually higher in their lives.
It is not that the disciples of John were unhappy with him.
But, the disciples of John the Baptist, understood why John had done this.
It might not be immediately but gradually they understood in their lives.
It is categorically stated in the text:
“He first found his own brother Simon and told him,
“We have found the Messiah”—which is translated Christ—.
Then he brought him to Jesus.”
Then, we read:
“Jesus turned and saw them following him and 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 you will see.”
So they went and saw where Jesus was staying,
and they stayed with him that day.”
There are two questions in the text:
1. “What are you looking for?” &
2. “Where are you staying?”.
1. “What are you looking for?”
Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them.
It was an initiative from Jesus.
He turned.
He saw.
John the Baptist was related to Jesus.
But, we read:
“John was standing with two of his disciples,
and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God.””
John the Baptist would have introduced Jesus to his disciples.
Or
Jesus would have gone to John the Baptist and John would have introduced him.
Here, we read:
John was standing with two of his disciples.
Jesus walked by...
Standing position can be possible when we think that we have reached our final destiny, or we are confused where to move, or we are stagnated with our mission/our community or we are stuck with our present responsibility/duty/mission.
It is not clearly mentioned why John the Baptist stood there.
We all are confused with the pandemic what would happen to the Church.
We are struck with what will be the future for the church and community.
The text beautifully reads further:
‘as he watched Jesus walk by’
John the Baptist watched Jesus walk by…
Watching is a skill.
In the dictionary, ‘watch’ means: look at or observe attentively over a period of time.
John the Baptist observed Jesus attentively over a period of time.
Now is the time for John the Baptist to pass on…
We too are confused or stuck or stagnated with some stages of our lives/community/church/mission.
What we need, is ‘Jesus Christ’, as John the Baptist needed Jesus to continue God’s mission.
Where is Jesus then?
Jesus walked by John the Baptist...
‘Walked by’ means: close by or near by.
In summary: ‘when a door is closed, we go on banging on the same closed door rather than watch for new possibilities that are close by or close at hand.’
John the Baptist expressed what he experienced with Jesus:
“Behold, the Lamb of God.”
The two disciples of John the Baptist heard what he said and followed Jesus.
John the Baptist shared his experience.
He did not tell his disciples to follow Jesus.
The disciples of John the Baptist too wanted to experience “the Lamb of God” in their lives when they heard from John the Baptist.
The disciples made a choice or decision to follow Jesus.
It was an inner-force.
It was within them.
It was a new way to experience God in their lives in and through Jesus Christ.
In our lives, we also make choices or decisions to move ahead.
Does this choice or decision come from our inner spirit?
Does it bring a newness in our lives?
Does our choice or decision come from our experience with God through someone or something?
Every choice and decision that we make, must be for the mission of God and purpose of God in our lives.
It is not a selfish choice or decision.
It brings a newness in our lives.
It comes with joy of inner peace.
The decision or choice of the disciples of John the Baptist, had a longing or eagerness to experience ‘Jesus, the Lamb of God’ in their lives.
This eagerness or longing, vibrated Jesus to turn and ask the question:
“What are you looking for?”
Why do I say this?
Because,
The previous statement says that Jesus was walking by…
Jesus was very close by or near to John the Baptist and his disciples.
Despite that, Jesus did not turn and ask anything to John or his disciples.
Once, the disciples decided or chose to follow Jesus, he turns and asked them the question: “What are you looking for?”
‘Looking for’ - means ‘search for’ or ‘quest for’.
Looking for or search for or quest for, is for the people who have a seekers heart.
Seeking for the truth.
Seeking for the messiah.
Seeking for God.
What was the response from the disciples?
Here comes the second question.
2. “Where are you staying?”
They said to him, “Rabbi”—which translated means Teacher—,
“where are you staying?”
In other words, we can ask: Where are you living? Or Whom are you living with?
And Jesus replies:
He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”
Jesus said to them come and experience for yourselves where I stay or where I live and whom I live with or whom I stay with.
What did the disciples do?
‘So they went and saw where Jesus was staying,
and they stayed with him that day.’
The disciples went and saw and experienced where Jesus stayed or lived by staying with or living with Jesus.
Jesus asks us the same question: what are we looking for?
Am I looking for Jesus in my life journey to seek His presence?
Or
Am I looking for something, it may be material things, it may be world power and authority, it may be name and fame or so on other than Jesus in our lives?
Are we ready to ask the same question to Jesus that the disciples asked Jesus: ‘Where are you staying?’
If it is yes, we have to spend time with our Lord, our Saviour, Jesus Christ in prayer with His Word.
The more we read, the more we get information.
The more we have information, the more we interpret the Word.
The more we interpret the Word, the more we are inspired.
The more we are inspired, the more we imitate the Word.
The similar experience of the disciple Andrew.
We read:
“Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter,
was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.
He first found his own brother Simon and told him,
“We have found the Messiah”—which is translated Christ—.
Then he brought him to Jesus.”
After being with Jesus, Andrew personally experienced Jesus in his life.
Now, it was an urge to share that spiritual experience with the other.
He found his own brother and told him: “We have found the Messiah”
Our experience of God does not keep standing, it makes us to share and bring many more people to have the similar experience.
This is the real vocation.
This is the real following.
This is the real seeing.
This is the real staying.
This is the real discipleship in Jesus Christ.
The one who experiences Jesus Christ personally, brings many more to Jesus to have the Messianic experience.
John the Baptist experienced Jesus personally and shared the experience with his disciples.
The disciples experienced Jesus personally and shared the experience with Simon and more…
Samuel too had the similar experience as we read (1 Samuel 3:3-10):
“When Samuel went to sleep in his place,
the LORD came and revealed his presence,
calling out as before, “Samuel, Samuel!”
Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
God took an initiative, but Samuel responded with the help of Eli.
I am sure when Jesus looks at us and others, who follow him…
He changes us, and He transforms us into a new human in His love as He looked at Simon:
“Jesus looked at him and said,
“You are Simon the son of John;
you will be called Cephas”—which is translated Peter.”
&
We read (1 Samuel 3:19):
“Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him,
not permitting any word of his to be without effect.”
Today, let us experience Jesus in our lives personally with the help of many saints, holy people, who lived and showed Jesus to us…so that we may bring many more people close to Jesus Christ to experience his love, his sacrifice, and his salvation as we pray (Psalms 40:8-9):
“Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.”
May the Heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all. Amen…
