Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/010412.cfm

Holly bushes at MSF

Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them,
"What are you looking for?"
They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher),
"where are you staying?"
He said to them, "Come, and you will see."

This is my favorite of all the vocation stories in the scriptures, and there are many. Beginning in the Old Testament with Abraham and proceeding to Moses and the burning bush, Samuel in the tent-shrine, and Isaiah in the temple; then Gabriel’s visit to Mary, the call of the fishermen and the call of Saul on the road to Damascus in the New Testament: we hear of God’s personal intervention in the lives of certain people. If these stories have always been important to our Church they are especially important today, to our western culture which accentuates the unique identity and experience of every single person.

At one time many people were satisfied to know someone who goes to church: “The wife prays enough for all of us!” Or a past experience of church was sufficient: “I was an altar boy at one time.” It seemed enough to be gathered into the fishing net of the church and (hopefully) not tossed out by his judgment.

But modern spirituality demands that everyone experience within herself a particular call to holiness. In the Gospel of John, Jesus’ first disciples are “looking for” something; but they don’t know what it is. They can only answer a question with a question, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” But clearly they are looking for something, as Jesus answers, "Come and see.”

Many of us were never asked, “What are you looking for?” or “What do you want?” Parents, teachers and ministers of religion simply told us what to want and what to seek. We felt assured that if we found what we were told to find and got what we were told to ask for – we’d be happy. Or at least, safe. 
In those cases where we did not find and were not satisfied, we listened to someone else tell us what we want: a flat screen television or a flat belly; a successful career, Home and Gardens home and a trophy spouse.

Some people discover only late in life -- if ever -- that they have never discovered what they actually want. They never looked into their own hearts and waited for the answer to appear. Often those same people make unreasonable demands on others and are perpetually unhappy because they simply don’t know what they want, and they don’t know how to ask.

Jesus’ question is very important. On this fourth day of 2012, we might do well to withdraw to prayer and ask our inner depths, “What do you want this year? What are you looking for this year?” And then, after hearing a reply and articulating an answer, we might hear Jesus’ invitation, “Come and see.”