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What do you think Andrew saw in Jesus that caused Andrew to follow Him and tell Simon about Him?

They are with John waiting for Jesus so that they are alert ready - they trust in the OT and believe in John so they trust him when John points at him as the one whose arrival was prophetised as the Lamb of God. He doesn`t address them first, they do and call him Rabbi teacher after they have actually started following him and replying to his question: what are you looking for? The answer implied is the Truth the Word. They trustfully follow Him till they reach his place where we imagine he teaches them with all the confidence that comes from knowing he is the Son of God - he knew the OT Law etc. They hear and they believe but they had faith first too. Faith is trust. That gets confirmed in Jesus steadfast Faith in the Father. This convinces them and as John had prepared them so they prepare and lead others to him. It`s a friendship bond. I called you to be my friends not servants as you will know of my Father`s business. He takes them home and shares the Word of the Father. They sit at his table. Also he trusts them in saying follow me saying with his body language as at John`s words he doesn`t stop and confirms in words but firmly walks on. His steps talk for him. They seemed to be prepared for the call - but you never know that bell might ring totally out of the blue and bring a sudden awakening to the Lord` will. Thank you Lord for all priests - whatever their path into your steps theirs is a truly special Talent :''

By: Alessandra Parrini
Category: Jesus` First Disciples

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How did John`s testimony prepare people to receive Jesus and His message?

This was he of whom I said, `He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me. He is a forerunner of Jesus but Jesus who is God has always existed - God created the world. I am here to announce his presence I a mature man aknowledging it publicly like I first did in private in my mother`s womb when Mary visited her - interesting also that Mary, who is the Mother of Jesus, pays the visit to Elisabeth whereas usually the more important pays visit to the less so. Also Mary went to her to serve her and help her. So John puts himself at the service of Jesus saying that though he wouldn`t even be worthy of tieing his sandals, a very humble task to perform which one needs to prostrate himself to the ground. He is a voice in the desert. Many have heard in the past of the coming and if they believe enough in the Word, they will believe that that is Jesus. John, whose mother like Mary passed on to him the Law of the Jew and the OT testaments, stands for all those who were prepared to believe. But he is the one gifted with the courage to shout that recognition in the desert: no one is a Christian a follower of Jesus yet. The first Christian in the bud to bloom unofficially as yet unBaptised? To do that he has to deny that he is himself the one promised by the OT: so he grew in fame amongst people more than Jesus. That`s why he denies being him. He has to make himself small to let Jesus increase: he is the testimony not the groom. A test for John? renouncing to his worldly fame aware that he is at the service of the Lord whom he has to announce? a humble man announcing another humble man. Moses was seen talking to a portentous cloud and following that in the desert. He baptises in water - only the mater of the Sacrament -and says I am the one called to remind you of the promises of the OT and call you to prepare the way for the Anointed one - the High Priest- anointed with the Holy Spirit - the Pharisees were familiar with the anointing ceremony so it is significant, i think, that he first announces them. Ehy! he says I am announcing you a New Ceremony. On what grounds should they trust him? in the name of that Jesus that yes still has to come in a real form but who has always been present in the words of all the prophets who announced him and whose words the priest were called to treasure and spread keeping the people of Israel on the right track. Almost feels like it`s the embryo of Mother Church - before the Holy Spirit breathes into it full and true Life. Making it truly fruitful - a tree in the desert.

By: Alessandra Parrini
Category: John the Baptist Denies Being the Christ

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Why was sending Jesus to live on earth such an effective way for God to tell people about Himself?

Father this morning at Mass said that in this way the salvation came not from the outside of us but from the inside of humanity - the Word descending from the Heavens into us humans. . In him was life, and the life was the light of men . God created everything and when we accept the Lord in us we are re born created anew first of all in Baptism when we are cleansed of the original sin but also I feel as maturity and awareness gradually increasing we accept Him in our lives more and more consciously and actively: living with Christ, in Christ and for Christ. God is also inside ourselves guiding and feeding us from within - Saint Therese Interior Castle comes to mind. God came to dwell in us and we are called to start an interior journey to look for Him inside our souls. It`s the light that illumines first our life the darkness of our interior desert - without Him we are dry and cannot bear fruit ''that is the water He offers us- Grace and Truth'' - and is the light we are called to let shine for everyone to light their lights, the light that cannot be kept hidden inside us: we are the stand and we stand on that light. nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God: he took our fleshy form and took on our sins without sinning himself and living a shiningly righteous way showing us the path he then lost that fleshly life killing the sinfulness to leave us as an inheritance ''double meaning of will'' the kingdom of his/our Father.

By: Alessandra Parrini
Category: The Word Became Flesh

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