MEETING CHRIST

What is the dynamic of the encounter with Christ? This Sunday’s Gospel passage traces the fundamental stages. There is a first fact that emerges in the Johannine narrative: unlike the Synoptics, John does not say that the two disciples, following the Baptist, were fishermen. They are qualified as disciples and that’s it. This is important because it highlights an anthropological aspect, that is, man is a seeker and searches because he is crossed by a need for meaning and therefore for salvation. The encounter with Christ therefore starts from the need that lives within us. Hence the need to place oneself at the school of a master. For the first two disciples the reference figure is John the Baptist. But the mediator is an index pointing to another. This is why as Jesus passes by, John points out the rabbi of Nazareth to his two disciples, one of whom is Andrew. At the master’s words, the two begin to follow Jesus, who turns towards them and asks them what they are looking for: “What are you looking for?” (ti zeteite). This question is of capital importance, because it wants to verify and justify the intentions of the two. The answer is not long in coming and poses a profound question: where does Jesus live? In a word they want to know his identity, who he is and his point of support (ubi consistam). It follows from Jesus’ invitation that “they went and saw where he was staying” (Jn 1:39). And where does Jesus live? In the Father (cf. Jn 14:11). What does it mean? Simple and dizzying at the same time: meeting Jesus means being introduced into the mystery of God. As an iconographic commentary on this scene we refer to the Vocation of Andrew and Simon Peter (1375-1378) by Giusto de’ Menabuoi which we find in the baptistery of Padua. A solemn Jesus, on the seashore, calls the first two disciples, who on their knees await his blessing to leave (the boat is behind them) on the seas of history to announce the Gospel of salvation.

Commentary by b. Sandro Carotta, osb
Abbazia di Praglia (Italy)

Translation by f. Mark Hargreaves,
Prinknash Abbey