DAILY MEDITATION: "Rabbi (which means Master), where are you staying?"

Liturgical day: Sunday 2nd (B) in Ordinary Time

Gospel text (Jn 1,35-42): As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus walked by, John looked at him and said, "There is the Lamb of God". On hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. He turned and saw them following, and He said to them, "What are you looking for?". They answered, "Rabbi (which means Master), where are you staying?". Jesus said, "Come and see". So they went and saw where he stayed and spent the rest of that day with him. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard what John had said and followed Jesus. Early the next morning he found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means the Christ), and he brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon, son of John, but you shall be called Cephas" (which means Rock).

"Rabbi (which means Master), where are you staying?"

Fr. Lluís RAVENTÓS i Artés
(Tarragona, Spain)

Today, we can see Jesus coming by the banks of the river Jordan: it is Christ walking by! It was about four o'clock in the afternoon, when noticing two young men following him, He asks them "What are you looking for?" (Jn 1, 38). And, surprised at the question, they answer "‘Rabbi (which means Master), where are you staying?’. ‘Come and see’" (Jn 1, 39).

I am also following Jesus, but… what do I want? what am I seeking? He is who asks me: "Truly, what do you want?". O! if I would only be courageous enough to tell him: "I am seeking you, Jesus", most surely I would have already found him, "For the one who seeks, finds" (Mt 7, 8). But I am such a coward and always reply with words not too engaging: "Where are you staying?". But Jesus does not simply put up with my answer; He knows but too well that I do not just need a lot of words, but a friend, The Friend: Him. This is why He tells me: "Come and see", "come and you will see it".

John and Andrew, the two young fishermen, followed him and "saw where He stayed and spent the rest of that day with him" (Jn 1, 39). Overwhelmed by this encounter, John will be able to write: "Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (Jn 1, 17b). And Andrew? He will run to meet his brother to tell him: "We have found the Messiah" (Jn 1, 41). "And he brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon, son of John, but you shall be called Cephas’ (which means Rock)" (Jn 1, 42).

A rock!, Simon, a rock? Not one of them is able to understand those words. They do not know Jesus has come to build his own Church with living stones. He has already chosen the first two bricks, John and Andrew, and he has decided that Simon will be the rock upon which the whole building will stand.

And, before going to his Father, he will answer our question: "Rabbi, where are you staying?". While blessing his Church, He will answer: "And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Mt 28, 20).

Source: evangeli.net