Together on the Way

Do you remember the last time you gave directions? In this era of smartphones and built-in GPS, maybe it has been a while. It is an important skill, though, or was: to be able to clearly and succinctly explain to someone how to get to where they need to go.

In the Gospel today, John the Baptist knows that two of his disciples are lost, not physically but spiritually. We recall how the Gospels tell us that great crowds had gone out to John in the desert, to hear him preach and to see him baptize, and no doubt many followed him, thinking he was the Messiah. But John clearly states that he is not; he has only come to prepare the way for the Messiah. No doubt this left his own disciples troubled and uncertain What were they going to do now? To whom could they turn?

Fortunately, John the Baptist knew how to give good directions. He points out Jesus to these followers, Andrew and an unnamed disciple, and says “Behold, the Lamb of God.” And as he does so, these men who had followed him now become followers of Christ. John’s message of repentance and preparation had gotten their attention, but here at last was the One they had been searching for all along, the One who would truly answer their deepest spiritual yearnings. We can see how they are hesitant at first, perhaps not sure how to follow. But with Jesus’s invitation – “Come and see” – it’s all they need to become His disciples.

Saint John Points Out Christ to Saint Andrew (c. 1635) by Ottavio Vannini

This story is about more than how two men long ago began to follow Jesus. It’s emblematic of how He calls every one of His followers. As Christians, you and I have embraced the role of being Jesus’s disciple, too – that is, His student, one who learns from Him as Teacher. But how we learn and how we follow is not something that can be accomplished individually; we need the aid and involvement of other people. Faith in Christ is not a private enterprise – as if it is something I do that is just between me and God, and maybe in the presence of a few others for an hour on Sunday. No, Jesus’s desire then and now is that we follow and learn from Him not just as mere individuals but as part of a larger group, a community of people that helps and assists each other, with Him at the center. Who we are as a Church, as the Body of Christ, forms and sustains who we are as individual believers.

Sometimes, therefore, we are going to need help in finding Jesus. Perhaps it is going to be getting through a particularly challenging personal moral struggle; maybe it’s a difficult relationship or an interior feeling of being lost, unsure of where to turn. When that happens, we have to look for someone in our life who might be able to point us in the right direction. Like He did for the two disciples in the Gospel, God will place someone in our path, but we must be willing and open to receiving guidance. Remember that the One whom you are truly searching for is Jesus – to become more like Him in some way, to be reminded that He is calling you to follow Him, to remember that He is the Light that guides your path. So if you are searching for Him, look for a person who seems to have found Him. Ask that person for help, do what they are doing, and you will find that you are soon back on the path to the Lord.

But, then remember, it’s not just about you. As part of a community, a Church, we also have to be attentive for the times when God will call us to help others in finding Him. In the Gospel today, notice how after finding Jesus, Andrew and the other disciple aren’t content just to follow after. They go first and share Whom they have found with someone else – Simon, Andrew’s brother – who also meets Jesus and follows Him. They do for Simon what John the Baptist had done for them; they give directions on where Jesus can be found. So it must be with us, as well. Our faith can't be a private, individualized affair; we must be ready to share it with confidence and joy. If God helps us to find Jesus through others, He is also going to ask us to give directions to others as well. When that happens, we shouldn’t be shy or timid; we may not feel particularly wise or holy, but if we trust in the Holy Spirit, we can be confident that whatever we say or do, whatever guidance or encouragement we can give, will be used by God for that person’s benefit. God used Andrew and the other disciple to call a man named Simon, who would one day become Peter, the greatest of the apostles and the first pope. Who knows what might happen in the life of someone else if we too are bold in sharing what we have found?

So, my friends, do you remember the last time you gave someone directions – not to find a place, but to encounter Jesus? As disciples, we are all on the journey of faith, a path of following and learning form our Lord. But we are on this journey together, supporting each other, receiving help when we need it, and giving help when others do. That is how Jesus has willed it for us, His Body, His Church, so let’s put aside our own fears and misgivings, and focus instead on the Master calling us, inviting us each day. “Come and see,” He says to us; let us boldly follow after.