"Here I am, Lord..." sung by John Michael Talbot, words and music by Dan Schutte
“We have found the Messiah: Jesus Christ, who brings us truth and grace.”
John 1:41, 17B
John’s account of the first meeting of Jesus with Andrew and his brother Simon is simple and short, but each word is full of profound meaning. The story opens as John the Baptist gives witness in just five words to the identity and the mission of Jesus Christ when he says, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” John’s disciples understand the implications of this title: the sacrificial lamb is the symbol of God’s salvation of the Jewish people at the time of the Exodus. The blood of the Lamb, painted on the doorposts of the homes of the Israelites, preserved them from death when God rescued them from slavery in Egypt.
Wanting to know more, the disciples follow Jesus. They aren’t quite sure what they’re seeking, but they desire to stay near him. Jesus invites them to deeper encounter when he says, “Come and see.” One of the disciples is Simon’s brother Andrew. Andrew makes an amazing profession of faith, considering he has just met this man. He tells his brother, “We have found the Messiah,” and brings Simon to Jesus. In John’s Gospel, as in the synoptic Gospels, Jesus renames Simon as Peter, the Rock: Peter is called to be the rock foundation on which Jesus will build His Church.
But first, Jesus worked through Andrew, calling him to do the work of evangelization. In the same way, Jesus has called each of us by name and has a mission and a purpose for every single person, one that cannot be accomplished by anyone else. To discover our call and purpose, we must first follow Jesus, and acknowledge Him as the Messiah, the Lamb of God, who died to save us.
Jesus invites each of us to follow Him to a deeper encounter, to listen and learn, and to become His disciple. Do you hear His voice, calling to you? Will you reply, as Samuel does in today’s Old Testament reading, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening”? Will you respond as the psalmist does, saying, “Here I am, Lord, I come to do your will”? Who will you bring to Jesus today?
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