Attract to Act

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary provide an opportunity to consider the quality which attracts people to follow Jesus. The Church commemorates Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton today who lived an amazing spiritual journey to experiencing Jesus in the Roman Catholic tradition and founding the Sisters of Charity who have provided health and education service to hundreds of thousands in North America. The people through whom God acts are often the unlikely choice from our point of view. Friar Jude Winkler comments on the extremely dualistic nature of the text from the First Letter of John. Our response may be quite accepting of this idea or it may cause us to seek the counsel of spiritual experience about conversion. This dualistic passage, on the surface, may present a take it or leave choice to us. The context of the passage in which the community to whom it was addressed was under aggressive attack by heretical preachers may have made the good evil dichotomy a necessary approach. The Gospel of John shows a different, more mystic and directed attraction to Jesus. The disciples of the Baptist are made aware of Jesus, Who asks them what they are seeking and invites them to spend time with Him. This experience opens the eyes of Andrew who understands Jesus as Messiah. Friar Jude comments on the depiction of Peter in the Gospel of John as thick-headed and impetuous. He is cast as the one who does not get it. This one is called by God to lead and named by Jesus as “Cephas” (Rock or Head). The word play which may be used by the Evangelist, according to Friar Jude is the Peter is a “rock-head”. The attraction to Jesus is mysterious and personally unique. Our response is to “come and see”.