Homily

"The next day John again was standing." The epiphanies, the manifestations of the Lord, are over; and yet John, the man who waited, who dreamed, who sought a new world, "...again was standing." John goes to the root of things; he does not resign himself, he does not reduce Christmas to a vague feeling which leaves life unchanged. Disciples are men and women of the world: they feel at home in every country and familiar with everyone. Disciples, however, are also people of heaven: they await the kingdom of God. This is why they do not go away, do not flee far away, do not resign themselves to the way things are. John remains there still. He does not seek new sensations or unreal worlds. He does not look at the world with a cynical heart, as one without hope. He continues to change himself and to wait. He fixes his gaze on Jesus, who is passing by. He points him out again, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" We should recognize him, as confused and uncertain as we are. Behold the meek one, who with his humanity makes God’s face concrete. Behold the lamb that lets himself be led to slaughter in order to defeat evil. Behold the response to waiting for happiness, for love, for healing, for peace, for the end of division. For Andrew and John the Baptist is the one who points out the Lord - the one whom they really need and who can give meaning to their life. They begin to follow him, though at a distance. We do not know whether Jesus immediately becomes aware of them, but it is certain that at a certain point he turns back and asks, "What are you looking for?" Even here it is God who takes the initiative. It is Jesus who turns and "sees" the two disciples. John's evangelistic style uses of the verb "to see"? the word around which he seems to organize the whole scene? to mean that relations between several individuals take place through direct, immediate contact. John "watched Jesus;" then it is Jesus who "turned and saw" the two disciples and invited them to, "Come and see." They followed him and "saw where he was staying;" and finally the Teacher "looked at" Peter and gave him a new name, a new destiny.
"To see" means to go down into another’s heart and at the same time to let oneself be scrutinized in one’s own heart; "to see" is to understand and to be understood. It is true that the initiative comes from God, but in the heart of the two disciples there is not a vacuum, nor is there a calm and greedy satisfaction with the way things have always been. The two, in short, had not remained in Galilee, in their land or city, to do what they had always done. Their heart desired a new life for themselves and for others. And this desire, this need, even if unexpressed, is taken up by Jesus’ question, "What are you looking for?" And they reply, "Rabbi, where are you staying?" The need for a "teacher" to follow and of a "house" in which to live is at the heart of their search. But it is also a question that arises from men and women today in a very particular way. It is in fact rare to find "teachers" of life; it is difficult to find one who really loves you; it is increasingly frequent to feel uprooted and without a true community which receives and accompanies us. Even our cities seem built so as to make a life of solidarity and community difficult if not impossible.
The utilitarian and consumerist mentality as well as the race toward individual or group well-being, diminish everyone, leave us deeply lonely, orphans, in rivalry with one another. There is an absence of "fathers," "mothers," "teachers," points of reference, life models. In this sense we have all become poorer. To whom can we go in order to learn how to live? Who can show us, with words and above all with example, what is worthwhile living for? One is not saved alone. Each of us needs help: Samuel was helped by Eli the priest, Andrew by the Baptist and Peter by his brother Andrew. We too have need of a priest, a brother, a sister, someone to help us and to accompany us in our religious and human journey.
To the request of the two disciples, Jesus responds, "Come and see." The young prophet from Nazareth does not delay in explaining; in fact he does not have a doctrine to convey but a life to communicate. This is why he immediately proposes a concrete experience, we could say a friendship that can be touched and seen. The two "came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon." Without doubt they stayed in Jesus’ house; but what really counted was that the two disciples took root in Jesus’ company: they entered into communion with him, and were transformed. To remain with Jesus does not close, block or restrict horizons. On the contrary, it pushes one to go out from one’s own individualism, to overcome provincialism and narrow-mindedness in order to announce to everyone the fascinating discovery of the one who is infinitely greater than we are: the Messiah. The life of the two disciples changes. Their encounter with Jesus creates a new brotherly bond between Andrew and Peter. "We have found the Messiah," Andrew says with joy. He too begins to speak like John, showing that Jesus is present. The word must be communicated, otherwise it is lost. The light is not lit in order to be put under the bushel. I have found the future, hope, all that I was looking for, and even much more than I ever desired! Teach us, Lord, to communicate your hope with passion to those seeking a future and salvation. We thank you because you continue to let us remain with you. Teach us to stop in order to know you as the one teacher and shepherd of our life.