 Dear friends of the word!
It had pulled them to the Jordan. Crowds of young people stand there with John the Baptist. The whole region was talking about him. Was he the promised Messiah, who was supposed to release them from the occupation of the Romans? And also Andrew, Peter’s brother and one of his friends went to the Jordan. They were so enthusiastic about this unusual man who didn't fit in any cliché. He had lived in the desert for a long time and now he called the people of his time to change at the Jordan – and not even with nice words. He called those who came and didn't want to change a “Brood of snakes!”.
And then another Rabbi appeared, Jesus of Nazareth. For John it was immediately clear that it was Him, Who they all were waiting for. So John the Baptist encourages Andrew to get to know Jesus. They follow him in a certain distance. How were they able to speak to Jesus? While they were still thinking about that, Jesus tunes towards them and asks: “What do you want?” One of the two plucks up courage and says: “We would like to see where you live and how you live!” So Jesus invites them: “Come and you will see!” And they go with Him – at four o'clock in the afternoon, and they stay for the rest of the day, so four or five hours, with Him. Dear friends of the word, we don't know anything about that what they were talking about this afternoon, although it may be very interesting! We just know that the shared time with Jesus had fascinated Andrew so much so that he convinces Peter, his brother meet Jesus. To meet Jesus and to stay with Him (for a long time)! That day, Andrew and Peter started a friendship with Jesus that meant they had left everything behind them and later on they even gave their own lives for Him. In these first hours they must have felt this idea that Jesus was able to still this deep longing of their hearts. It is like they had found this valuable treasure at the field for that it worth to give EVERYTHING. But where do we have to go if He asks us to: “Come and you will see!”? HE lives in every tabernacle of the world and wants to be visited there. Let us go and visit HIM and let us stay with everything that moves us and that concerns us with HIM. HE will be good for us! And HE lives in every Human Being, especially in those who are poor. Let us go there and visit HIM, too. And let us love HIM with all of our power and imagination. Let us follow this month His invitation: “Come and you will see!” -Let us go and look for Him and visit Him. For the Onword team Meinolf Wacker |
Prayers and Reflections 
