Opening the Word: Will you follow Jesus?

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Jesus and disciples
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After our Advent watching, our adoring Christ at Christmas, when God’s come close; in contemplating this incarnate God in the arms of his Blessed Mother, and venerating him with the Magi, this Sunday, the Church brings us to the banks of the Jordan, back to John the Baptist. Why?

Because this whole saving story is about to move, to pivot from infancy narrative to public ministry. Whom we’ve watched for and adored at Advent and Christmas and Epiphany is about to be revealed again — this time in baptism and by the word of the prophet. If it wasn’t clear by now, if we understand here the Baptist’s words, it will be. “A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me … ‘I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain on him … he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit'” (Jn 1:30-33). John the Baptist sees the Spirit remain on Jesus; as Isaiah foretold, “the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,” that’s what the Baptist sees (Is 11:2). That’s why the Baptist concludes and testifies: “he is the Son of God” (Jn 1:34).

January 15 – Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Is 49:3, 5-6
Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10
1 Cor 1:1-3
Jn 1:29-34

But what does this matter? Again, because the story is about to move. Jesus is no longer a babe wrapped in a manger whom shepherds and gentiles seek; he’s the carpenter from Nazareth whom we must spiritually see and follow. From Bethlehem, we turn now to Galilee and then Jerusalem. Not just adorers, now we’re disciples too. In the verses immediately following this passage, John tells us about the first followers of Jesus — Andrew, Peter, Philip, Nathanael (cf. Jn 1:35-51). Our lives should follow the same pattern: seeing Christ, we should follow Christ. That’s why the Church brings us to the banks of the Jordan at the close of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. Because Christmas was meant to mean something. Because we’re meant to become disciples. We’re meant to follow him upon whom the Spirit remained.

But then what does that matter? Here it’s worth thinking about that word “remain.” I’ve pointed this out before, the Greek verb menein. John uses it to describe how the Spirit rests upon Christ; to press fast forward on a theological claim, it’s a word that says something about God himself, how the Trinity of Persons remains in each other.

Which is interesting, and enlivening to say the least, when we notice that John uses the same Greek verb to describe how the disciples remain in Christ. “Remain in me, as I remain in you,” Jesus says to his disciples in the Upper Room (Jn 15:4). Here we can begin to see why it all matters, why believing the Baptist’s testimony matters, why following Jesus matters: following Jesus is how we remain in God, how we draw near to him, give ourselves to him, hide in him, how we share in the divine nature (cf. 2 Pt 1:4). What we’re talking about here is the beginning of salvation, about crossing the Jordan anew in Christ into the Promised Land.

So, will you follow? In these coming weeks, and into Lent and Easter and all the way to Pentecost, the whole Church, in word and worship, will follow Christ. But will you? That’s the questions this passage from John leads to: Will you follow? On the shore, hearing the prophet’s word, seeing the Spirit descend and remain, is the Christ you see as you meditate upon him beautiful enough for you to follow? “Here I am, Lord, I come to do your will,” we’ll sing together this week (cf. Ps 40:8-9). But is it my prayer? Is it yours? That depends on whether you’re a disciple, whether you’re willing to follow him the rest of the way.

Father Joshua J. Whitfield is pastor of St. Rita Catholic Community in Dallas and author of “The Crisis of Bad Preaching” (Ave Maria Press, $17.95) and other books.

Father Joshua J. Whitfield

Father Joshua J. Whitfield is pastor of St. Rita Catholic Community in Dallas and author of “The Crisis of Bad Preaching” (Ave Maria Press, $17.95) and other books.