Word to the Wise
Thursday, January 5, 2017 - Jan. 5
[1 John 3:11-21 and John 1:43-51]THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017. ST.JOHN NEUMANN cssr [1 John 3:11-21 and John 1:43-51] Jesus decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one about whom Moses write in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth." But Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus "found Philip" and Philip "found Nathanael." "Follow me" and "Come and see." We are still in the liturgical season of Christmas/Epiphany, but the image of Jesus before us is now the adult Jewish man beginning to gather followers. The "come let us adore him" is replaced by "Come and see." We are being invited to think ahead, beyond next Sunday (Epiphany) to Jesus whole life and ministry. The first scriptures from the Letters of John, reflect how Jesus' life and death were interpreted through the prism of love of neighbor.. Both Pope Benedict and Pope Francis have exhorted us in the "New Evangelization" to invite others to "come and see" and experience the love that is possible through faith in Christ. Pope Francis has especially used the image of a "field hospital" for the sick and wounded, and not a country club for a spiritual elite. If we respond to Jesus' call to follow him, we don't just follow him, we go and find others and invite them to come and see. That is what discipleship means. AMEN