Follow The Star: An Invitation to Come and See
Today's reflection is written by Victoria Johnson, Canon Presenter of York Minster
Introduction
Of all the words spoken during our services to mark Christmas each year, perhaps the most profound come from the start of Saint John’s gospel: ‘And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us’. Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint John and the many powerful words he contributed to the New Testament.
But if we flick forward to the very end of his gospel, John admits all the books in the world cannot contain everything one would wish to say about Jesus. Powerful as they can be, John says, words are never quite enough.
Words need to lead to life, just as the word became flesh and lived among us. What we read, and what we say we believe, needs to be translated into a way of living.
Bible Reading: John 1:35-41
The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he 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 see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about 4:00 o'clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’, which is translated ‘anointed’.
Reflection
We meet another John in our reading today, John the Baptist. This John’s actions, as well as his words, point others to Jesus. When Jesus notices two of John’s followers now starting to follow him instead, he asks them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They can't really explain what they are looking for, they just know it's him. The disciples, like many in our world today, are looking for a light in the darkness. They are looking for meaning and truth.
Jesus responds with a simple invitation to them, and to all who are looking for something they can't quite explain, ‘Come and see’ he says. Come with me, walk with me. Seek and you will find. With those three simple words, he offers an open invitation to discover life in all of its fullness.
Invitation
Can we be people who point to Christ with our whole lives and in everything we do?
Can we then invite others to come and see how gracious the Lord is?
Pray
Jesus Christ, Word made flesh,
as we follow you day by day,
may we invite others to come and see
the abundant life you offer each of us.
Amen
See amidst the winter snow
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