PHILIP SAID TO HIM, “COME AND SEE.”

Rev 21,9b-14; Ps 144; Jn 1,45-51
24 AUGUST
Every man is a unique person before the Lord and He knows how to express his vocation to everyone, using also unique and unrepeatable paths. If we read all the vocations in the Scriptures, we will notice that every man, every woman has been called in unimaginable and unthinkable ways. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Aaron and Mary – only to stop at the first vocations – each one was called differently, dissimilar from the others. If we stop at the First Chapter of the Fourth Gospel, it will also be possible to observe here how Andrew, John, Peter and Philip live their encounter with Lord Jesus in a very personal way. This truth must suggest to us that our vocation is also unique and unrepeatable. But also that our vocation might be an instrument for the Lord to call other people to serve him. Our instrumentality must be pure faith in us. God calls through us. Has not the vocation to faith in the Gospel and the following of Jesus been delivered in the hands of the Apostles? Was not the Christian constituted by Jesus Lord his instrument for the conversion of many hearts? But this does not prevent Jesus from directly calling someone to follow him. As Philip was called directly by Jesus, Paul was also called directly by Jesus, manifesting himself to him in a light that made him blind.

Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He said, “Who are you, sir?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.” The men who were travelling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank (At 9,1-9).

Philip, called directly by Jesus, calls Nathanael and invites him to meet with Jesus. Philip, a figure of the Church, brings the called person to the source of grace and truth which is Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus, source of light, leads Paul to the Church, because the Church is the place where one lives from light to light, drawing light from light. Today, this is the true drama that is being experienced in the religion of Christ Jesus. We want a Christ without the Church. We want a Church without Christ. The Christian aggregates to himself, but not to Christ and not to the Church. Today this is the pastoral care that one loves: an encounter between man and man, without encountering Christ and outside the structure of light and of the grace of the Church. It is evident that one works for vanity, for nothingness and for spiritual emptiness.

Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him.” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

If Jesus first gives the touch of grace, it is necessary that everything be completed by the Church. If the Church the one to give the touch of grace, it is urgent that everything be brought to perfection by Christ Jesus. Christ and the Church together, in unity, as one body.

Always Virgin Mother, Angels and Saints, ensure that the Christian live as the body of Christ.