Sunday January 17, 2021

An INVITATION WITH PURPOSE 

It is fascinating to observe a mother duck wading in a lake or pond with her ducklings following In a straight line.  Sometimes or many have seen video clips of a mother duck leading her young ones across a roadway.  In each case ensuring their safety as best she could.  If we think about it, we will see that it is more than just taking her ducklings to the other side of the lake or pond.  She is also but building their confidence, teaching them how to navigate the waters and survive, and how to lead, so that when they in turn, would be equipped to lead and teach their young ones.  It may seem to be an insignificant routine thing but there are lessons to be learned as followers of Jesus Christ.

After he was baptized by John, Jesus embarked on his ministry.  He already had people following, among them Andrew who brought his brother Simon to Jesus, as John reports

Two days later Jesus found Philip and said to him ‘FOLLOW ME.  Philip in turn found Nathaniel and announced that they had found the one of whom Moses wrote in the Law.  Jesus of Nazareth

The gospel does not indicate that Jesus Philip knew Jesus before, or that he had heard about him from Andrew and Cephas whom Jesus had already identified called Peter.  What the Gospel does say is that Philip went and found Nathaniel to share the news of having found the  one Moses wrote about in the Law, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 

Jesus seemed to be deliberate in selecting specific persons whom he called to follow him.

Not that he was ignoring then or  now everybody else.  It does not mean that that he did not see anything of value in the many others who were attracted to  him, nor was he establishing an exclusive club of followers.  Quite the contrary, it was because he valued all life, all people that he identified specific persons like Philip to follow him because he would have seen in them the potential to be trained to carry on the ministry.  He wanted to equip them.  So, following him was more than being a companion.  It meant and still means walking in his footsteps, learning from him,  understanding and emulating what we see in him.  Like the example I gave of the ducklings, Jesus was seeking to prepare them for the ongoing work of ministry.  They would be the nucleus of the movement that would expand b to the invitation to follow  as Philip did, we need to seek an understanding of what we are called to.  For this we must be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit.   St  Paul puts it this way in Ephesians 4:11: ‘So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up’,   Let us always remember that it is ultimately so that the body of Christ may be built up.

Being able to worship is desirable, but remember, when the  worship ends, the service begins in the world around us. The work of building the body of Christ is that of inviting others to Jesus as Philip did.

Philip found Nathaniel and told him we have found one who Moses wrote about in the Law, Jesus of Nazareth.  This would have been exciting news for Philip, because he saw prophecy being fulfilled before his very eyes, but not so for  Nathaniel.  He was skeptical.  His response may be the kind of words that would discourage or dampen our zeal as we share the good news and invite others to have the experience we have.  "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?"   Philip replied, "Come and see.”

Sometimes when in our  witness we come up against those who would not accept the good news, those who would raise questions about the authenticity of our witness we simply need to issue an invitation.  There are some people who may not pay attention to what we say.  Yes, they hear, but are not convinced.  At some time, we may have tried to convince a friend of something, and they have doubts.  We say to them come and see for yourself.  These are words used in everyday situations. 

Why not in our witness as we invite others to Jesus?  They must be able to experience him  by the words we speak, words of comfort, words of encouragement, instead of discouragement or hatred;  they must be able to see Jesus in us when we are seen to be respectful and honest, decent loving and above all God-fearing,

They must be able to see Jesus in us when, like good Samaritans we care for others in their times of difficulties of distress, ministering to the poor, the hungry, the cold, and doing so, not counting the cost to ourselves. 

They must be able see Jesus in us through our unconditional love even for our enemies. 

These are some of the values Jesus taught his disciples and by extension his church today so that we allow Jesus to live through us for others to see.

Come and see.  As Nathaniel went and Jesus saw him, Jesus declared, ‘Here is a true Israelite in whom there is nothing false.’ Nathaniel asked him:  How did you know me?  No doubt he was taken by surprise! 

Jesus said to him, I saw you before Philip called you.  Nathaniel had his doubts, but Jesus had an eye on him.  Nathaniel declared You are the son of God; you are the king of Israel.  Nathaniel had a new view of life in coming to Jesus.  His life was transformed.  He moved from skeptic to being able to declare the truth of Jesus being the son of God.

I want to say to us that no matter who we are, God already knows who we are.  He has a plan for each life.

That is what he said to Jeremiah:  “Before I formed you in the womb I knew[a] you before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”  Although Jeremiah felt he was too young, that he would not know what to say, God had already called to be a prophet and gave him the assurance:  do not be afraid, for I am with you and will rescue you.

When God called Samuel, he did not yet know God. He heard the call three times and thought it was Eli calling.  Then Eli told him if he calls again say speak Lord for your servant is listening’.  God knew his plan for Samuel who was attested by all Israel as a prophet of the Lord. a prophet.  He was only a child, but God revealed his will for his life. 

God in Jesus Christ calls saying I have a great work to accomplish through your life, through your witness.  He worked through Philip, Nathaniel.   He has worked through the church throughout the ages.  Each who experiences the life-changing effect of having met Jesus is called to share the joy with others and invite them to come and see.  Invite, the skeptics, the doubters, the haters, the rich, the poor, the vulnerable, the miscreants of society as God in Jesus sends us, so that as they see what Jesus has done and continues to do in your life and my life.   

Amen