“Come, and You Will See” by Beth DeCristofaro

“Come, and You Will See” by Beth DeCristofaro

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious

Jesus (on the left) is being identified by
John the Baptist as the "Lamb of God who
takes away the sins of the world", in
John 1:29. 17th-century depiction
by Ottavio Vannini.

Children, let no one deceive you. The person who acts in righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. Whoever sins belongs to the Devil, because the Devil has sinned from the beginning. (1 John 3:7-8)

John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God." The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come, and you will see." (John 1:35-39A)

Piety

 Lord, You have come to the seashore
Neither searching for…the rich nor the wise,…
desiring only…that I should follow

 O Lord, with your eyes set upon me,
gently smiling, you have spoken my name;
all I longed for I have found by the water.

 At your side,… I will seek other shores.

 Lord, see my goods, my possessions;
in my boat, you find…no power, no wealth…
 Will you accept them…my nets and labor?

 Lord,…take my hands and direct them
 Help me spend myself in seeking the lost,…
returning love for…the love you gave me.

 (Pescador de Hombres, Cesáreo Gabaráin, 1979)[i]

Study

Recently I “attended” a webinar during which the presenter detailed a mystical encounter with God. Jim Findley described becoming profoundly and distinctly – physically even - aware of the air around him as infused with God. He felt the depth of God’s presence in and around him, filling each muscle, each cell of his own body and that of every living being near him. This experience reminded me of Thomas Merton’s illuminating moment in which he became aware of Christ’s presence shining as if a beacon from every person he looked at. Both men tried to put into words their supreme awe at being gifted such a personal and tangible taste of God’s love in the flesh. Both men felt overpoweringly called to God’s limitless love which overwhelmed them.

John the Baptist must have also had moments very, very close to Jesus both as cousin and as divinity. After all, the boys probably played together as children. And John leaped in his mother’s womb in Jesus’ presence before either of them was born. In today’s Gospel John doesn’t call Jesus a Good Preacher or a Holy Man. No, John proclaims Behold, the Lamb of God. A God-infused spirit led John to profess this mystical awareness.

God seeks to encounter each one of us in a unique, loving way. He made us, we belong to him. Jesus’ simple answer to the disciples “Come, and you will see” is the same one he extends to us. By spending our time with him, by risking to go with him and seeing where he stays, we open ourselves up more and more to awareness of who he is and his presence among us. As we encounter God more deeply within ourselves, we become more open to action as righteous followers.

Action

How do you most profoundly experience God? Savor, rejoice, listen. How are those encounters enacted in righteousness as you follow Him? Offer back to Him from your own life a piece of building the Kingdom in service to others who most also need to come and see Him?

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[i] https://www.ocp.org/en-us/artists/296

Image credit:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_disciples_of_Jesus