In John 1:43-51, Philip was called by
Jesus and cannot keep it to himself. He runs to Nathanael and wants
him to experience what he has experienced when he met Jesus.
Nathanael was skeptical and not eager to believe in a Messiah from
Nazareth. Philip just did what Jesus had done when He called His
first disciples saying, “Come and
see.”
When it comes to bringing somebody to
Christ, the best way to show Jesus to another person is to let him
encounter Jesus. This is easier said than done. For we cannot do
what Philip did – bring a friend in the presence of the man Jesus.
We cannot see, hear, and meet Jesus as Philip and Nathanael did.
But He is nevertheless present.
Read the Gospels together with the
person you want to bring to Christ. Bring him to a genuine
Christian community and to a place where charity is practiced among
the poor. Share what Christ means to you.
In this time of mass media and instant
information and communication, news about Christ no longer make the
headlines in papers or breaking news on TV. Whether Christ will be
known, loved and followed by the next generation depends on our
conviction that He is our Savior and how excited we are to share
about Him. It depends very much on our gentle invitation:
“Come and
see!” -
Fr. Rudy
Horst, SVD
REFLECTION
QUESTION: Am I still
excited by the Good News of Christ? Whom could I invite to take a
closer look at Christ and His Church?
Lord, we can only thank You for modern
means of communication and information. But there is also the
danger that we forget the greatest news of all – the Good News that
is You. Give us the grace to never get tired of this news. Give us
the grace to never lose excitement and eagerness to share Your Good
News with others. Amen.
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