\u201cWhat are you looking for\u201d?<\/p>\n
I think these words ring just as true for all of us as they did for Andrew in this morning\u2019s Gospel. First, something happens that awakens us to our need. Andrew was looking for something new; that\u2019s why he was following John the Baptist in the desert. Then he found it: John the Baptist\u2019s words suddenly gave direction to Andrew and his companion. Andrew heard the words \u201cThere is the Lamb of God\u201d. In other words: \u201cThere is the answer to the restlessness about what it\u2019s all about.\u201d<\/p>\n
And so, just like Andrew, we should go forward and seek after that answer when it is pointed to us. The arrival of the Christ Child at Christmas is like John the Baptist\u2019s declaration. In fact, the whole season of Advent memorializes the theme: \u201cThe Lord is coming, there he is, follow him\u201d. And as we go after the truth, we should hear Jesus calling back to us: \u201cWhat are you looking for\u201d? and \u201cCome follow me and I will show you where I dwell\u201d.<\/p>\n
In fact, the whole process described in the Gospel applies over and over again to each of us. Whether it\u2019s in our prayers or in other pursuits of the truth like a book we are reading or a class we are taking to seek the answer to the age old question of \u201cWhat\u2019s it all about\u201d. Indeed, those are times to turn our attention to the Lord and follow him as he calls us.<\/p>\n
The four Gospels tell us how Jesus followed the call to holiness. They chronicle Jesus through 3 years in word and deed. They show how he went into the desert and pondered what it was all about for him; how he determined God\u2019s will for him in the midst of temptation; how he came out from the desert and launched his ministry; and how he was called to hold firm to the Father\u2019s will even when threatened by evil men who didn\u2019t like his message. Jesus held firm to the end by gving his life rather than forsake the will of the Father.<\/p>\n
St. John\u2019s epistle helps us with the follow-through. Whatever you do to help you in your quest of the Father\u2019s will, you need to act in righteousness. Righteousness is holy and upright living in accordance with God\u2019s standards. We are righteous when we are right with God. If what we are doing is not in accord with God\u2019s standards, then do not kid yourselves; you are not righteous. St. John\u2019s words are stronger- he says we are in sin if we are not righteous.<\/p>\n
Life is full of times when we wonder what it\u2019s all about. A break in the normal routine, like the Christmas Holidays, and the whole idea of a new beginning for the New Year calls our normal routine into question. These times give us the opportunity to feel that urge that maybe a change is needed. Don\u2019t let the opportunity pass.<\/p>\n
What are you looking for?<\/p>\n
Thursday of Second Week of Christmas St. Elizabeth Seton Jn 3: 7-10; Jn 1: 35-42 Deacon Larry Brockman \u201cWhat are you looking for\u201d? I think these words ring just as true for all of us as they did for Andrew in this morning\u2019s Gospel. First, something happens that awakens us to our need. Andrew was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[522,521],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1028"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1028"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1028\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1029,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1028\/revisions\/1029"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1028"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1028"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}