Disciples of John the Baptist, curious about Jesus, call out to him as he passes. Jesus calls out to them in response, “Come and see” – Come and see where I am staying and with whom. We learn Jesus stays with those who are rejected; laborers, tax collectors, prostitutes. We see Jesus among marginalized individuals and we know Jesus is one as well. We know they are all outcast, judged as unclean, impure by rulers of their nation. No one who lives an unclean or impure life would think of themselves or be regarded by others as a dutiful observer of their religion. There is then no reason to think such a person is “the Messiah.” The Messiah is the promised holy deliverer of their nation. He is a pure military leader who will vanquish the impure. Why then does today’s Gospel according to John record impure outcasts calling the impure outcast Jesus, “the Messiah?”
Perhaps the Gospel writer is seeking continuity between Jesus and the Old Testament. If so, the author is fabricating a relationship that does not exist. a relationship that is harmful to perpetuate. So long as Jesus or any of us is called back into an old harmful way, the call of our new peaceful way is muffled, even silenced. We cannot hear the call to “Come and see.” But Jesus continues to call us to “Come and see.” Come and see that we are one human family – when self-titled Christians who judge themselves pure shout that their defeat of the impure is God’s will. “Come and see” that we share humanness – when self-titled Christians are yelling at Muslim immigrants they judge to be tarnishing this pure Christian nation. “Come and see” life with a marginalized person – when self-titled Christian pastors keep asking for donations to build and furnish their multi-million dollar churches and homes. “Come and see” we are peacemakers – when self-titled Christians laud old warmakers. The old will give us military rulers who fashion themselves “the Messiah.” As such, they cannot live in communion as Christs who call out, “Come and See.”
“I see the site of the old empire of Assyria, and that of Persia, and that of India …I see the place of the idea of the Deity incarnated by avatars in human forms; I see the spots of the successions of priests on the earth – sacrificers, brahmins, sabians, lamas, monks, …I see the temples of the deaths of the bodies of Gods—I see the old signifiers. I see Christ once more … in the midst of youths and old persons; …I see the menials of the earth, laboring; I see the prisoners in the prisons; … I see the helpless infants, and the helpless old men and women.” (Salut au Monde – Walt Whitman)
Prayer: Spirit of Sight, help us to see those who are unseen.
Question: What would another learn of me if I asked them to “Come and see?”
January 14, 2018 Gospel John 1:35-42 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time