GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 5TH JANUARY 2017
THURSDAY – CHRISTMAS WEEKDAY
FIRST READING:1 John 3:11-21
PSALM: Psalm 100:2-5
GOSPEL: John 1:43-51
THEME: COME AND SEE
We all react differently to a piece of information. Some jump from their seats filled with emotions and do not take note of the details of what they have heard or read. However, there are others who practice what one Helen Dzikunu describes as “cerebral hygiene.” These are no gullible listeners or readers; they do not accept anything as true unless it can be verified and authenticated.
Philip’s statement to Nathaniel, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth” (Jn 1:45), was a piece of breaking news, taking into consideration the strong messianic expectation among Jews at that time. However, Nathaniel, as Jesus would later describe him, was no man of duplicity or guile and incapable of deceit. His question, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” was not a mark of faithlessness but a quest to make a judgement based on facts. In response to this desire, Philip said, “Come and see” (Jn. 1:46).
The expression, “Come and see” appears twice in the first chapter of the Gospel of John. The first is captured in Jesus’ response to the question of the two disciples of John the Baptist, “Rabbi, Where are you staying?” (cf. Jn 1:38-39). The second, as observed above, can be found in the statement of Philip in response to the question of Nathaniel.
The phrase, “Come and see” may well have been a common one within the Johannine Christian Community and it gives us an idea of what Christianity was like for the early Christians. Inherent in the statement are two verbs, “come” and “see”. These verbs suggest two fundamental movements. The first is an invitation to move from one state of life to another – a movement from “sitting under the fig tree” to sitting at the feet of Jesus. Christianity for the early Christians was characterized by a tangible shift – a shift from an old way of life to a new one in response to the invitation, “Come.”
The second is a movement from theory to experience. The Christian message is not about gathering information about Jesus. It is primarily one of experiencing Jesus and this is encapsulated in the word “see”.
The Word of God invites us to “come and see”. It is a call to rise up from our “comfort zones” and enter a sacred space and time for an intimate encounter with the person of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, it is a call to prayer, for it is in prayer that we come to know who Jesus really is.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, here am I in response to your invitation, “come”. In your presence, may I see you as you really are. Amen
Andrews Obeng, svd
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen).