Cycle B - Year II:

14 January 2018: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading: 1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a,17-20

Gospel:Please Read John 1:35-42

What are we looking for?

We are back to the liturgical season called Ordinary Time, after a series of solemnities, or special feasts, following the observance of the Christmas season. Today is the second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

A brief refresher on the liturgical season:

In the liturgical calendar, Ordinary Time is a specific season in the Church which focuses on the life of Christ during His three years of public ministry. There is no particular aspect of the mystery of Christ that is celebrated. Instead, the focus in on the mystery of Christ in all fullness or totality. Ordinary Tine is a yearly cycle of 33 or 34 weeks.

Green is the color assigned for this season, which is most associate with growth. Thus, Ordinary Time is viewed as a time of growing in our knowledge and love of Jesus, our Lord.

The Gospel tells us about the encounter of Jesus with the first disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, and an unnamed disciple. They were originally disciples of John the Baptist.

John saw our Lord Jesus approaching along the sea and tells his disciples, "Behold, the Lamb of God." Thus, John the Baptist continues to point his own followers towards Jesus, "the Lamb of God." And the two disciples followed Jesus.

But when Jesus noticed them following Him, He asked them, "What are you looking for?" They answered Him with another question, "Rabbi, where are you staying?" Jesus answers them, "Come and you will see." This incident, and the conversation, is really Jesus' open invitation to become His disciples.

The encounter by the two disciples with Jesus is a classic scene of a call or a vocation. And having experienced the attraction of Jesus, Andrew goes back to inform his brother Simon Peter, "We have found the Messiah!" and brought him to Jesus as well.

What is remarkable in the Gospel is the utter lack of hesitation mentioned in the answer to Jesus' call by His disciples. They instantly become of the first disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, leaving everything behind to follow Him. This led them to become Heralds of the Good News.

And so Jesus is walking along the sea in our generation, along the shores of our lives, and John the Baptist points us to Him as well as "the Lamb of God". Jesus asks about our desires so that He can respond to them, "What are we looking for?" or "What do we want?: from our Lord Today is the. In other words, the Lord calls to us constantly, to help us seek our salvation. Yet we often resist, considering it something to put off... to the last minute.

As we follow our Lord Jesus Christ today, are we looking for material wealth, honor or power? Or are we looking to deepen our relationship with Jesus, as our Lord and Messiah?

Let us answer our Lord with this prayer: "Here am I Lord; I come to follow You, and do Your will." Amen.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!