Today is the second Sunday in ordinary time, the first Sunday after the end of the Christmas season. We are going to hear two conversion stories in a row on these next two Sundays. Today, we hear about two disciples of John the Baptist; they are intrigued by Jesus' identity. Jesus calls these men to follow him. Next Sunday, we’ll hear about four men who are called to leave their lives as fishermen in order to follow Jesus.
“Come and see” – this is Jesus’ invitation in today’s Gospel. Since the days of the first apostles, Jesus’ followers have been witnessing to their faith and have been inviting others to join them. John the Baptist himself witnessed to two of his own disciples by calling Jesus “the Lamb of God." By doing so, John expands their view of Jesus. In fact, near the end of the Gospel of John, the author states that this witness and these signs have been recorded here in the Gospel in order that we may come to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and through this belief, that we might come to have new life in him. “Come and see” is the invitation we receive as well on our journey of faith. Like this invitation that Jesus extends to us, we are called to witness and invite others to the faith. The act of witnessing and inviting is exemplified by Andrew’s actions in the Gospel. He hears the witness of John the Baptist, then visits where Jesus is staying, remaining with him that day. Andrew searches out his brother, telling him with great excitement: “We have found the Messiah,” bringing him to the faith.
As we hear this conversion story today, perhaps we think: “Well, today’s Gospel really doesn’t pertain to me. I’m already a follower of Jesus. I already know him. I already practice my faith." But, perhaps we’re called to look at our faith today to see how we can strengthen it, to live it out more profoundly, to better witness our faith to others. All of us in the modern world need to look at all the ways in which we are called to conversion. Perhaps we are the believer who is entrenched in a kind of religious legalism, in which we look at our faith as a check list of rules, expecting ourselves and all Christians to follow all of the rules in a very legalistic way, not really bothering with the very spirit of these laws. Or, to the other extreme, perhaps we think that since we believe in God, since we’re baptized into new life in Christ, that we can do whatever we want to do and still be saved. Once saved always saved is what some Christians believe. Or perhaps we just go through the motions of our faith without taking chances, without trying to discern God’s specific will for us, without going out on a limb and allowing our faith to have a true impact in our own life and in the lives of others. Maybe one of these descriptions point to the type of conversion we need today.
In modern America, many think of themselves as spiritual, but not religious. In bookstores and libraries, there are hundreds of books about spirituality and self-help, about 12-step programs and improving our lives. Even as a priest, I have people tell me that they want to practice their faith in isolation, that they don’t need the Church, that they can do it on their own. But, from the beginning, when Jesus called those men to be his disciples, he shows us how our faith is to be lived in community, how it is not just “me and God.” We are all disciples on our journey of redemption and salvation together. As the Church, we are the body of Christ here on earth. Perhaps we in America need more than an individual conversion to Jesus, but rather a conversion to the Church, to the communion of Christ, to a deeper understanding of the Church our faith, and our participation in the Body of Christ.
We have our parishes of Holy Savior and Immaculate Conception, but we have other places near and far where Catholics need our help in practicing their faith. Just the week of Christmas alone, I celebrated six different Masses at the correctional institutions in our area: three Masses in the federal prison in Yazoo City, two Masses for the men at the state prison in Pearl, and one Mass for the women at that prison in Pearl. When I had started back at the federal prison in Yazoo City in November 2022, it had been since March 2019 since they had their last visit from a priest, which was Father Jeremy Tobin of the Nobertines. That is 3 1/2 years without a Mass. Truth be told, if we did not take the initiative and reach out to the men and women out there, they would not have contact with their Catholic faith or be able to celebrate Mass. Reaching out to those around us are examples of what it means to live as the Body of Christ, to witness our faith with others.
So, as we enter ordinary time once again in the liturgical year, marking an end to the Christmas season, as we hear about those first disciples who chose to follow Jesus, may we look at our own lives and at the journey of faith we are all on. Jesus asked these men to come and see for themselves. What do we need to look for, what type of conversion do we need, and how do we need to witness to others as we continue on our own journey of faith?
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