In today’s Gospel, on the feast of Saint Andrew, we hear Saint John’s account of the calling of the first Apostles. Saint Andrew is called the First-Called because he was the first to respond to Jesus Christ. He was a disciple of Saint John the Forerunner, and had been with John when he pointed to Jesus and said: “Behold, the Lamb of God.” Together with a companion, he followed Jesus and asked to see where He was staying. The Lord responded with, “Come and see,” and Andrew stayed with him – returning the following day to proclaim to his brother Peter: “We have found the Messiah.”
Andrew was already seeking God. He had been formed by Israel’s longing for the coming of Christ of which the prophets had spoken. He had responded to John the Forerunner’s call to repentance and he was looking for the Messiah. He responded decisively when Jesus appeared, yet He still had to learn who Jesus really was. It was in responding to Jesus’ invitation to “Come and see” – and spending time with Him – that Andrew was able to truly acknowledge who He was and proclaim Him to others.
Like Andrew, we too are searching for God, whether we are aware of it or not, and this is especially true as we await the birth of Christ at Christmas. If we are to truly welcome Him into our lives, not simply as an idea that we assent to but in reality, we too need to “Come and see.” We need to make time for Him in our busy lives and get to know who Jesus Christ really is – and reflect on who He is for us. By making time for prayer, for reading the Gospel, for following the services of the Church, we can meet Jesus Christ in an ever-deeper way, enabling us to welcome His Nativity with joy.