“The next day again John stood and two of his disciples. And beholding Jesus walking, he saith: ‘Behold the Lamb of God.’ And the two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus. And Jesus, turning, and seeing them following Him, saith to them: ‘What seek you?’ Who said to Him: ‘Rabbi, where dwellest Thou?’ He saith to them: ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where He abode and they stayed with Him that day: now it was about the tenth hour” (John, 1, 35–39).
First Prelude: Behold our Divine Saviour, addressing the disciples lovingly with the words: “What seek you?”
Second Prelude: Grant me the grace, O Jesus, to seek only Thee and Thy love, and to lead others to the knowledge of Thee.
First Point
THE CALL OF THE FIRST DISCIPLES.
The first two disciples of the Lord, Andrew and John, were disciples of Christ’s holy precursor. They had received His doctrine willingly and had persevered with their Master, even when the multitudes had dispersed. Thus they merited the grace of being directed to the Messiah by St. John. Their docility to the “Voice of one crying in the wilderness” led them to the Saviour and merited them the honor of being His first disciples. Fidelity to grace and persevering docility to the voice of our superiors and to the inspirations of grace will secure us new graces.
Our Saviour lovingly addressed the two disciples: “What seek you?” Jesus often puts the same question to us interiorly. “What seek you?”—in your prayers and your labors, in your conversations, in intercourse with your neighbor: One day we shall have to render an account whether we have sought God’s honor, His holy Will, or self-love, sensuality, or satisfaction. Instead of answering our Lord directly, the disciples put a counter-question to Him saying: “Master, where dwellest Thou?” By these words they manifested their desire to receive His instructions. How willingly Jesus complied with their request! He took them with Him at once, and permitted them to spend the rest of the day in His company. How attentively may they have listened to Him, how delighted may they have been in His blessed company! We need not ask with the disciples, “Master, where dwellest Thou?” We know that He dwells among us in the Blessed Eucharist, that we find Him in the person of the poor and needy, of the children in our care, that He desires to dwell in our hearts. Oh, let us render Him companionship, let us remain with Him as did the happy disciples, and He will speak words of eternal wisdom to us also.
Second Point
THE ZEAL OF THE FIRST TWO DISCIPLES.
After the conversation with Jesus, the two disciples were penetrated with lively faith in the Messiah, and desired that others, too, share their happiness. Andrew sought his brother Simon, and said to him, full of joy: “We have found the Messiah.” Without hesitation, Simon suffered himself to be led to Jesus. Oh, how may the first gracious look of the Saviour have inflamed the heart of the disciple with love, and prepared him to become worthy of the new name, which designated his mission in advance. Let us learn from Andrew to be grateful for our vocation to the religious life and above all to the faith, by leading others to the Saviour, by pointing out to the children entrusted to our care the paths of virtue. Peter gives us the example of fidelity to grace and docility to his brother. Let us enter into ourselves and see whether we have complied with the designs of Almighty God in our behalf, and whether we have allowed our superiors, His representative, full liberty to direct us. Let us repent of our negligence, our indolence, and our disobedience, whereby we have placed so many obstacles in the way of His loving Providence. How much more could we have accomplished had we been faithful to grace!
Affections: Happy disciples attracted so powerfully by the Saviour’s gracious call! We wish you happiness in your fidelity in obeying so cheerfully and promptly the impulse of divine grace. This was the first link in the immeasurable chain of graces, that made apostles and saints of you. Oh, entreat for us the grace to hearken with docility to the voice of the Lord and to labor courageously and perseveringly at our sanctification, that we may lend a ready ear to the exhortation and counsels of those that are appointed to guide us on the path of perfection. May we render ourselves worthy thereby to lead the souls of those entrusted to our care to the knowledge and love of the Saviour.
Resolution: We will faithfully correspond to the inspirations of grace and use every opportunity to be useful to our fellow-religious and our charges.
Spiritual Bouquet: “Come and see, and taste how sweet the Lord is.”
Prayer:
O Jesus, living in Mary! come and live in Thy servants,
in the spirit of Thy holiness,
in the fullness of Thy might,
in the truth of Thy virtues,
in the perfection of Thy ways,
in the communion of Thy mysteries;
subdue every hostile power,
in Thy spirit for the glory of the Father.
Amen.
(Indulgence of 300 days, once a day. —Pius IX, Oct. 14, 1859)
Prayer Before and After. . .
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