What Are You Looking For?
The Gospel
for this Sunday recounts Jesus’ calling of is first disciples. John the Baptist plays a key role. After hearing the call of Jesus as “the Lamb
of God” the disciples of John go after Jesus to find out more about him. Jesus asks Andrew and his companion a very
important question. “What are you
looking for?” The question might well be
asked of anyone embarking on a serious life of faith and discipleship. We can ask the question of all who come to
Mass on Sunday” “What are you looking
for? Why do we go to Mass? Why do we pray? Why do we read the Scriptures? Why do we have our children attend religious
education classes?”
People turn
to God for many reasons. Some seek
forgiveness, healing, and peace of mind.
Others seek meaning and purpose, while others seek love and
acceptance. Like St. Augustine says,
“Our hearts are made for you O God, and they shall never rest until they rest
in you.” People turn to God not for
power, money, or world success but for something deeper, something that touches
the whole of life and its ultimate fulfillment.
People pray and go to church because they truly believe that there is
more than meets the eye. They believe
that this life is only the darkness before the dawn, the agony before the
ecstasy, the famine before the feast.
When Andrew
and the first disciples came and experienced what Jesus was all about, they
were excited and went out and brought others to Jesus. More than anything else, the first followers
of Jesus experienced a sense of mission.
Now that they understood the meaning of life, they wanted to share their
excitement and enthusiasm with those around them.
There are
many beautiful ways that we can share our joy as we experience our call to be
followers of Christ and to find meaning, hope, and healing in our lives. Every Sunday when we come to Mass we make a
statement to our neighbors as they see our cars in the parking lot. It says that something very important is
going on here. There is the statement we
make in our personal conversations when we discuss with others issues of
morality and of faith. People will speak
with each of you about faith, church moral & ethical issues and may never
speak to a priest. We may be the only
connection people have between Christ and the Church. The example and teaching we give our children
is a powerful witness to our faith in Jesus.
Jesus has
called us to “come and see” when we have been nourished with God’s Word and
strengthened by the Eucharist. We can go
out renewed in mind and heart to be his witnesses. We can invite others to “come and see” and so
share our blessings with them!
The Week of
Prayer for Christian Unity – January 18th-25th – is a
week dedicated to prayer for Christian unity.
As we celebrate over 2000 years of following Christ, we are called to a
renewed commitment to work for Christian unity.
More than other topics dealt with by the Second Vatican Council, the
issue of ecumenism is addressed in a variety of documents. We have come a long way, but still have a
long way to go. In recent years, a
document signed between Rome and the Lutheran World Federation on the issue of
Justification, is a big step forward.
Our world needs a common witness to Christ. There are many areas where we can cooperate with
each other. So let us pray and work that
all Christians may come closer to the prayer of Christ: “That all may be one.”
Prayer for Christian Unity
Lord hear
the prayer of your people and bring the hearts of believers together in your
praise and in common sorrow for their sins. Heal all division among Christians
that we may rejoice in the perfect unity of your Church and move together as
one to the eternal life of your kingdom. Grant this Christ Our Lord who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God forever and ever. Amen.