What are You Looking For?

 

 Gospel: John 1: 35-42

 

What are you looking for? They wanted to know where Jesus was staying, and Jesus tells them to follow him and they will see.  Each of us approaches the Lord, and to each of us he asks – what are you looking for? Each of us in turn have the same response as these disciples: where are you staying, where are you in my life? 

 

If we follow Jesus through the pages of the Gospels we will find the answer.  We find him in caring for those who are ill or possessed by demons.  We find him dining with sinners and those who think themselves to be righteous.  We find him providing bread and fish to hungry people.  We find him talking to outcasts, the unclean, and the broken. 

 

In our own lives we will find Jesus present in these same places.  We will find him in the hungry and thirsty; among the imprisoned, sick, refugees and immigrants; we will find him in the lives of those who care for all these people as well.  We will not find him in places of power or in liturgy committees or in meetings about new carpeting in the sanctuary.  As we proceed through the Gospels we are invited to discern the places where Jesus is – and where Jesus is not – and to follow him to those places where he is and do as he did in those places and for those people.