A Homily for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2009-B
“What are you looking for?” What a remarkable question Jesus asks those first two followers. It is remarkable because it cuts right to the heart of the matter. Deep down, when we quiet all the distractions in our lives, this is the question that each of us ask ourselves; “What am I looking for?” We know that it is not a mundane question, like when we have lost something like the TV remote. Rather we know that this question, the way that Jesus asks these two followers, and the way we ask ourselves this question, that it is dealing with something really important. It is dealing with our destiny; it is dealing with what makes our life meaningful.
“What are you looking for?” Most people, when asked this question will say that they are looking for happiness. But what is happiness? What will make you really, truly happy?
When I was about 8 or 9 I really wanted this Evil Knievel action figure (hey, I am a guy; we don’t play with dolls) that had a motorcycle that you could rev up so that it could go on its own and you could make a ramp have have it jump over stuff. I was sure that if I got that Evil Knievel action figure and motorcycle I would be truly happy. You know what? I got that toy for Christmas that year, and for at least a month I was very happy with it. But then something new came along, or not, and Evil Knievel just no longer made me that happy anymore.
I am sure, especially with Christmas just behind us, all of you can think of a similar situation in your lives where you really wanted something – a toy, the latest fashion item, a game – and when you got it, it did make you happy, at least for a while, but then it faded and you started looking for the next thing to make you happy. That is normal, and not just for kids. We adults do it too; maybe it is for the latest tech gizmo, or for jewelry, or a particular job, or a particular romantic relationship. This is not to say that any of these things are bad in and of themselves, but they can be distractions if they keep up from searching for the deepest desires of our hearts. We are looking for eternal happiness. St. Theresa of Lisieux once said that Jesus “would not inspire the longings I feel unless he wanted to grant them.”
“What are you looking for?” When the two followers were asked this they had not known Jesus long at all. In fact they were disciples of John the Baptist. They had come to recognize in John the Baptist a real authority, that he was on the right way. What he said corresponded with the deepest longings of their hearts, their desire for eternal happiness, so they followed him. So when they heard St. John the Baptist say, “Behold, the Lamb of God,” they knew that they should follow that man. They knew that they should follow Jesus. “What are you looking for?” “Rabbi, where are you staying?” Another way of translating their response to Jesus is “Where and how do you live?” Jesus invites them to “Come, and you will see.”
Since it is already four in the afternoon, they only get to spend a few hours at most with Jesus that first day. It is not until the next chapter in St. John’s Gospel that we are told that Jesus works His first miracle, at the wedding in Cana, so it means that on that first night Andrew and that other disciple did not see Jesus perform a miracle so to believe in Him. Rather they just spent time with Jesus, they listened to Jesus talk to them about God and eternal life. This simple encounter with Jesus was enough. Their hearts burned within them. They might not have understood everything Jesus told them that night, but they knew in their hearts that He spoke to them the words of eternal life and happiness. They knew that He was the Messiah and they needed to follow Him. They also knew that they needed to share this good news with others. Later, as they continued to follow Jesus and see Him work the great miracles that He does, they receive verification that they are following the right person, that they have made the right choice in following Jesus.
“What are you looking for?” Jesus continues to ask us this question, right here, right now, every moment of our lives. He knows that our hearts are longing for happiness. He knows because He created our human hearts and put that longing for infinite love, truth, beauty, and communion in our hearts. He created us for Himself.
We need to learn to silent the distractions in our lives; put other things and people in the proper priority, so that we hear His invitation to “Come, and you will see.” This is what Eli taught Samuel to do in today’s first reading, so that Samuel could answer the Lord by saying, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” We need to spend time with Jesus and recognize just how extraordinary His presence is. That He speaks to us with an authority we have never known because His words correspond to our heart’s longing.
Whether we see great and powerful miracles or not, whether we understand everything that Jesus tells us fully or not, does not matter. Spending time in His presence, that extraordinary presence, fills us with joy and peace and all the other fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Then our very lives will cry out, “We have found the Messiah!” and we will bring people to Jesus.
