Usually, the choir shares the Bible teachings together before rehearsal. Since this is the Pauline Year. We read his epistles, beginning with the shortest and are finishing the second epistle to Timothy. George, our organist, is a Year Two law student. These days, the law students have been debating the amendments to the Domestic Violence Ordinance. The government is tabling amendments which extend the applicability of the law to violence towards the elderly, the children, the domestic helpers as well as same-sex cohabitations. Christians stood up to object the inclusion of same-sex cohabitation. Our outspoken Cardinal also spoke up. The Catholic Church welcomes the amendments because man is created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). Violence directed towards fellow human is evil. However, the Church is worried about the effect of including same-sex cohabitation in the amendments. It may further blur the concept of family and marriage. Therefore, the Catholic Church does not want to see words like "family" and "marriage" appear in the related text.
During their debate, some Christian fundamentalist positions against homosexuals naturally drew fire from the non-believers. After all, Christians do not appear to be as peaceful as they claim to be. Their intolerance of non-conformity is even worse than the totalitarian regimes. Some non-believers began to challenge the Christian story of Creation. Why did God create these sinners in the first place for you Christians to hate? I was a bit upset that George was not able to answer these challenges satisfactorily. Academically, these Catholic/Christian law students are very promising. However, their knowledge of the Bible leaves a lot to be desired.
In the gospel reading today, we heard another version of call of first disciples of Jesus. Actually, Jesus did not call them! Hearing the Baptist's testimony, Andrew and another disciple of the Baptist followed Jesus.
The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples;
and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!"
The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus (John 1:35-37).
This version is different from the Synoptic version in which these fishermen gave up all their possession to follow Jesus when he called them. The role of the Baptist is downplayed. In this Johannine version, the role of the Baptist is restored. Indeed, the Bible contains many conflicting passages. It throws light on the complexity of issues of life and when we read the Bible, we should not build up only a one-dimensional understanding of these issues. Wine cheers up the spirit, but it also intoxicates.
Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, "What do you seek?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" (John 1:38)
Like the disciples who followed Jesus, we seek. Probably we don't know clearly what we are seeking. A comfortable life? A purposeful and meaningful life? An eternal life? Life is complex and it takes a whole life to sort out this complexity.
Where are you staying? We have come to Jesus to find out what we seek. We need to stay with Jesus to sort out the complexity and destiny of our life. The disciples stayed with Jesus.
He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour (John 1:39).
Jesus invited them to explore. They saw where Jesus was staying. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon, two more hours to go before the end of the day. Time was running out. They decided to stay with Jesus.
Andrew made use of the remaining time to tell his brother Simon that they had found Christ. He brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus changed Simon's life (John 1:40-42).
We too have spent nearly eleven twelfths of our life doing our own things. It is time we decided to stay with Jesus to bring others to Jesus.
Dear Lord, allow us to stay with You. Our destiny should be much more than our existence on this planet. Make us Your instrument of peace and draw more souls to where You stay. Amen.
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