LENT 2014 * Joy of the Gospel Series * three

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” Jesus said, “You believed because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Pope Francis In His Own Words,
Joy of the Gospel:

265. Jesus’ whole life, his way of dealing with the poor, his actions, his integrity, his simple daily acts of generosity, and finally his complete self-giving, is precious and reveals the mystery of his divine life. Whenever we encounter this anew, we become convinced that it is exactly what others need, even though they may not recognize it: “What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23). 

Sometimes we lose our enthusiasm for mission because we forget that the Gospel responds to our deepest needs, since we were created for what the Gospel offers us: 

• friendship with Jesus and 
• love of our brothers and sisters. 

If we succeed in expressing adequately and with beauty the essential content of the Gospel, surely this message will speak to the deepest yearnings of people’s hearts: “The missionary is convinced that, through the working of the Spirit, there already exists in individuals and peoples an expectation, even if an unconscious one, 

• of knowing the truth about God, 
• about man, and 
• about how we are to be set free from sin and death. 

The missionary’s enthusiasm in proclaiming Christ comes from the conviction that he is responding to that expectation” 

Enthusiasm for evangelization is based on this conviction. 

• We have a treasure of life and love which cannot deceive, and 
• a message which cannot mislead or disappoint. 

It penetrates to the depths of our hearts, sustaining and ennobling us. It is a truth which is never out of date because it reaches that part of us which nothing else can reach. Our infinite sadness can only be cured by an infinite love.

FOR CONSIDERATION AND PRAYER

• Do you think of yourself as inadequate to evangelize because you lack the learning, speaking skills, worldly sophistication, education, and other such qualifications you think necessary?
• Consider these words of St. Paul: 

And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. 1 Cor. 2:1-5

•  "... demonstration of the Spirit’s power ..." No doubt, St. Paul would site his conversion experience as such a demonstration of the Spirit's power. Do you have a story to tell of your own coming into a strong personal faith? Do you talk about it with others? 

Pope Francis In His Own Words,

Joy of the Gospel:

266. But this conviction has to be sustained by our own constantly renewed experience of savouring Christ’s friendship and his message. It is impossible to persevere in a fervent evangelization unless we are convinced from personal experience that 

• it is not the same thing to have known Jesus as not to have known him, 
• not the same thing to walk with him as to walk blindly, 
• not the same thing to hear his word as not to know it, and 
• not the same thing to contemplate him, to worship him, to find our peace in him, as not to. 
• not the same thing to try to build the world with his Gospel as to try to do so by our own lights. 

We know well that with Jesus life becomes richer and that with him it is easier to find meaning in everything. This is why we evangelize. A true missionary, who never ceases to be a disciple, 

• knows that Jesus walks with him, speaks to him, breathes with him, works with him. 
• He senses Jesus alive with him in the midst of the missionary enterprise. 

Unless we see him present at the heart of our missionary commitment, our enthusiasm soon wanes and we are no longer sure of what it is that we are handing on; we lack vigour and passion. A person who is not convinced, enthusiastic, certain and in love, will convince nobody.

FOR CONSIDERATION AND PRAYER

A disciple is a student, one who is studying under a teacher. In ancient times, student-disciples would attach themselves to a particular teacher and literally follow them around, live with them, spend their whole time with them, as their teacher would impart to them his teaching. So it was with disciples of Jesus. That is why he says they must leave everything behind and follow him. Pope Francis reminds us that a true evangelist is a real and true disciple of Jesus. "... knows that Jesus walks with him, speaks to him, breathes with him, works with him."

• Do you have a real, definable spiritual life ... if so, how is it structured?
• You can go to any university and study the history of religion, the bible, Christianity, yet have no personal faith in Christ. What Pope Francis challenges here is - are you a disciple of Christ or merely a seeker of information.
• Sit down a write out a description of your discipleship. 

Jesus my Lord, I confess to you and to all the world / my need for your presence in my life. / I am alone and in darkness without you. / I am influenced and controlled by the many forces that surround me. / Even though I struggle against them,/ it is sin that so easily dominates my life. / Who can save me but you alone, / my Lord and my God. / Deliver me from the Evil One. / Touch my life with that power which flows from your Resurrection. / Cause your Holy Spirit to be born in me anew. / Prince of Peace and Lord of Glory / reign now in my heart. / Baptize me with your Holy Spirit and Fire. / Raise me up to a New Life in you.