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To: All
Homily of the Day
January 4, 2019

What does “to follow someone” mean? If you “follow someone” on twitter or the social network, you read his/her posts to find out what he/she is doing, feeling and thinking. In the game “follow the leader,” the leader is followed and those following imitate whatever the leader is doing.

How do we “follow Jesus”? When Jesus asked the two disciples (Andrew and another disciple of John) in today’s Gospel reading who followed Jesus at the urging of John (“There is the Lamb of God.”) “What are you looking for?” they answered rather lamely, “Rabbi (which means Master), where are you staying?” Jesus said, “Come and see.”

So they went, saw and were so impressed with Jesus they brought others to follow Jesus, “We have found the Messiah.” Andrew and his unnamed companion, Andrew’s brother Simon-Peter, Philip and his friend Nathanael from Cana were the first followers of Christ. They and many others “followed” Jesus in his public ministry, and after Jesus’ death and resurrection and the descent of the Holy Spirit, preached the Good News of Jesus and gave their lives in witness to their faith in and love of Jesus.

We follow Jesus in the same way his first disciples did, this Jesus we know from the Scriptures, the Church and in our prayer-interactions with him.


38 posted on 01/04/2019 8:49:49 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

Language: English | Espa�ol

All Issues > Volume 35, Issue 1

<< Friday, January 4, 2019 >> St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
 
1 John 3:7-10
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Psalm 98:1, 7-9 John 1:35-42
Similar Reflections
 

STAYING POWER

 
"Where do You stay?" �John 1:38
 

Two disciples of St. John the Baptist were following Jesus, but at a distance. This is often the way Christians follow Jesus. We try to do God's will for the most part, but intentionally keep Jesus more than "arm's length" away. We don't let Him get close to us. However, Jesus will turn around and challenge us by asking: "What are you looking for?" (Jn 1:38) If we truthfully answer Jesus' question, we may have to say that we're looking for blessings, security, or peace of mind, although we should say we're looking for a deep, personal relationship with Him.

John's two disciples may have surprised themselves when they asked Jesus, " 'Rabbi (which means Teacher), where do You stay?' 'Come and see,' He answered. So they went to see where He was lodged, and stayed with Him that day" (Jn 1:38-39). Jesus wants His disciples to stay with Him, to have a relationship with Him that is deeply personal and totally consuming. He wants us to stay with Him when we leave church, go to work, talk with non-Christians, eat, watch TV, play, and go to bed. If we don't accept Jesus as Lord of all, He's not Lord at all. If we don't stay with Him, we haven't truly followed Him.

 
Prayer: Father, beginning this Christmas season, may I stay with Jesus at the times when I previously left Him.
Promise: "It was to destroy the devil's works that the Son of God revealed Himself." —1 Jn 3:8
Praise: St. Elizabeth's sisters have served the people of Cincinnati, Ohio for 190 years.

39 posted on 01/04/2019 8:55:55 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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