Come & See (Jn 1: 35 - 42)

“Come & See…” was the invitation made by our Lord to John’s disciples & us during this Sunday’s reading. But what exactly is He inviting us to see? A house? Probably an iconic, freehold condominium, overlooking some skyline in today’s context. Or perhaps, He’s inviting us not to a house, but His home. Not merely to visualize, but to take in all that one experience. In elsewhere in the Gospel, Jesus would often remind his listeners, “why do you look and not see?”

Throughout my life, I’ve been invited to numerous homes. Some were contained in gorgeous, well decorated houses but one that made a deep impression in my memory, turned out to be an exception. It was a caroling project with my first RCIY batch few years back. One of our elects, a 13yr old boy invited us to his place for caroling. As the host, it is often expected that food will be prepared for the team of carolers visiting your place. Though he did not come from a well-to-do family, yet he invited us to his place that year. I wondered if he understood the implication of that invitation – it would have cost his family a considerable amount of money & efforts! On that fateful day, we went to his 3-room flat to carol. Although it was a small place to fit 25 of us, but we enjoyed ourselves. Food, comprising of mee goreng with chicken wings were served. Honestly, the food was not enough to go round but we all understood the situation and knew the purpose of why we were there – to carol, evangelize.

But that day, I felt that I had received more than I had given. I will never forget the joy & cheerfulness of that boy. He always carried with him a positive outlook in class. Despite the situation they were in, the family had been generous with what they could offer. I felt that I did not enter into a small room but a BIG home that day. One filled with unlimited servings of love & hope. A family who did not forget to come together to give thanks to God during the Christmas, and to literally witness His message of hope and love to us. What was offered to me was not merely food, BUT an encounter of selfless human spirit.

Whenever I reflected on this passage, that encounter just seemed to come back. For the lack of description in the Gospel, I had to use my imagination. What did the 2 disciples encounter that day that made Andrew say, thereafter, : “We have found the Messiah?” It must be more than a building. Could they have experienced something similar to what I did? A poor but generous God who humbled Himself but not limited to serve out repeated, overflowing portions of mercy & compassion?

“Open your hearts to the love God instills in them. God loves you tenderly. What He gives you is not to be kept under lock and key, but to be shared…The more you save, the less you will be able to give. The less you have, the more you will know how to share…Let us ask God, when it comes time to ask Him for something, to help us to be generous.”

~ Mother Teresa