READ John 1: 35-42 John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE GOSPEL.
UNDERSTAND By Father Greg Friedman, OFM Despite all the slick, hi-tech forms of advertising around today, “word of mouth” is still an effective way to find out about things. Take movies, for example. If people are talking about a film around the water cooler at work, you can be sure the weekend attendance figures for that movie will increase. Today’s Gospel depicts the effectiveness of word of mouth in spreading the news about Jesus. John the Baptist points out Jesus to two disciples, who meet the Lord and then in turn begin to share what they’ve found with others. Their early “evangelization” efforts continue beyond the verses we read in today’s selection. One disciple after another invites a friend to “come and see” Jesus. Each new disciple shares what he has discovered. Eventually a small circle of disciples gathers around Jesus—all through word of mouth. Catholics don’t often consider themselves “evangelizers.” We may see other Christian denominations making more aggressive efforts to acquaint people with Jesus. But perhaps we should take a cue from John the Baptist, Andrew and the other disciples portrayed in John’s
Gospel. What might we tell others about Jesus today? How has he changed our lives? Can we confidently invite others to “come and see”—and perhaps find the new life that flows from him? CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE AUDIO.
DISCUSS By Father Dan Kroger, OFM In the first reading (Sam 3:3b-10-19), Samuel was asleep in the temple of the Lord when God called him. What did Samuel do? Why? Eli understood that the Lord was calling Samuel. So, what did Eli tell Samuel to do?
This passage, from the second reading (1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20), is about understanding that our bodies are temples of the Spirit. Maybe parents will have to explain this in age-appropriate terms.
In the Gospel (Jn 1:35-42), who is John that was standing with two of his disciples when Jesus walked by? What did John say to his two disciples? What does Jesus tell the two when they asked where he was staying? What did Andrew do?
ACT Do something today to take care of your body. You can do some sort of exercise or go for a walk. Or try to drink more water today. In the Gospel, one of the disciples refers to Jesus as "teacher." Teachers this year have done quite a job teaching their classes during COVID. Write a thank-you note to one of your teachers. Or maybe send a note to a teacher you've had in the past and let him or her know they made an impact on your life.