Jan 4 2006

Jn 1:35-42 John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,“Behold, the Lamb of God.”The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them,“What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher),“where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him,“We have found the Messiah,” which is translated Christ. Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said,“You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas,” which is translated Peter.
This reading describes the calling and naming of Peter, the rock that Jesus will build the Church upon. Peter is impulsive and foolish and makes many mistakes but he sees on this day he is called that Christ is the Messiah. It is first Peter's brother Andrew who hears and follows and Andrew tells Peter of Jesus. Jesus gives Peter his name upon their first meeting. It is a foretelling of the Passion and the struggles of discipleship to come in the life of Peter. I especially love Peter because he makes so many mistakes in his following of Christ but clings to his faith as a rock and refuge in a storm.