Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Cycle B
January 17, 2021
Despite all the slick, hi-tech forms of advertising around today, “word of mouth” is still an effective way to find out about things. Take movies for example. If people are talking about a film around the water cooler at work, you can be sure the weekend attendance figures for that movie will increase.
Today’s Gospel depicts the effectiveness of word of mouth in spreading the news about Jesus. John the Baptist points out Jesus to two disciples, who meet the Lord and then in turn begin to share what they’ve found with others. Their early “evangelization” efforts continue beyond the verses we read in today’s selection. One disciple after another invites a friend to “come and see” Jesus. Each new disciple shares what he has discovered. Eventually a small circle of disciples gathers around Jesus—all through word of mouth.
Catholics don’t often consider themselves “evangelizers.” We may see other Christian denominations making more aggressive efforts to acquaint people with Jesus. But perhaps we should take a cue from John the Baptist, Andrew and the other disciples portrayed in John’s Gospel. What might we tell others about Jesus today? How has he changed our lives? Can we confidently invite others to “come and see”–and perhaps find the new life that flows from him?
