Jesus begins a journey, breaching that early attempt at domesticating his spirit to the frames of the expectation of the people, to the ends of the world. He continues, traversing times, caring, healing, and transforming the mindset of people, even today.
Everything depends on pure and free hearts. Therefore, the fight against evil must first be waged within us, in our hearts. There lies the origin of pride and wars. It is there where the deception of the evil one wreaks havoc.
Jesus casts out the evil from the person, not the person himself. We need Christian ways of dealing with members of our community, to expel the evil but welcome the person. Saving the person who is in sin while denouncing the evil is possible only with great love.
The Gospel narrates Jesus calling disciples to join him in a new mission. Despite successes and failures, including betrayals and denials, Jesus consistently trusts and gently guides them. The disciples experience both joy and disappointment in their journey, yet Jesus doesn’t replace them. Instead, he believes in their potential for growth and contribution to his Kingdom.
The question of Andrew and his companion is: where do you live (stay / abide)? It is a courtesy question in a first meeting. Jesus does not answer this directly, instead offers an invitation to go and see the place he lives.
This little family becomes the heart of humanity and had to be saved from the wrath of human kings, because the new-born boy is announced as the king of the universe.
We know that children learn more with the eyes than with the ears. The Christian life of the parents is the best way to give catechesis to the children.
What preparations were running in heaven for the first Christmas! The opera of the preparation for the birth of the Lord is a story of extraordinary joy.
John the Baptist not only prepares the way but also gives way to the Messiah. John is a blameless holy man and an appreciated prophet. People could have easily mistaken him for the Messiah, and some did indeed as we see in the gospel today. He could have taken advantage of that! But he gives way. Giving way is the noblest way.
John the Baptist is a good example for all preachers and leaders who follow Christ. The invitation to every Christian and every minister of the Church is to rewrite the sender’s address and the delivery address to Christ and to the people; not (selfie) to self-address. If the preaching diverts the attention from the message to the messenger, it is no more the gospel that we preach and all efforts will go vain and fruitless.