John 1:43-51
Epiphany 2 - Year B
Jesus says: "Come, follow me."
Philip says: "We've found the one...."
In that split second of having been found by the actor, we claim we are the actor who has done the finding. By extension, we can then go out and set the ground rules for others.
A part of our work is staying humble enough to say, "I've been found by the one...."
Use your own imagination about what you know of human nature and how easy it is to turn things to our own advantage - to make us look good.
In many ways there are echoes of Eden's story in here as we just ever so slightly misreport. Minimizing the misreporting in life is a significant move so listen as you speak and see if you are saying more than you really know. We do love to appear wise and powerful and don't even notice when we've gone beyond our bounds of knowing.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2003/january2003.html
"Dream a little dream with me." (variation on 1930's song.)
The angels are ascending and descending as we have a rocky nap in our local Nazareth from whence nothing good has come.
The ancient ladder of Jacob becomes Jesus' ladder and now is your ladder and my ladder.
Where once Jacob was alone in seeing the connection between heaven and earth, Jesus invites us to become part of a community that sees that same connection and pursues it. Now we come to experience the ladder ourselves and give evidence of its presence in our lives.
Dream this dream. No-account Nazareth, because nothing has yet come forth from there, is belittled and dismissed. But Nazareth is not simply its past. Nazareth does count, whether that can be seen in the moment or not.
Have we not all been belittled and dismissed. But we are not simply our past. We do count. Every one counts, whether that can be seen in the moment or not.
Dream your ladder that connects heaven and earth. Dream the Freedom of GOD.
And, having dreamt, go forth to heal and teach.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2003/january2003.html
Discipleship is active, not passive. Jesus finds Philip. Philip finds Nathanael. All of this very much in the mode of "this is the house that Jack built".
Presuming you have been found somewhere along the way by Jesus or another disciple descended from Philip, the question before you is which next "Nathanael" you will find.
This is not always a simple, straight-forward matter. There may be huge resistances to your invitation to "come and see" that you cannot and should not attempt to overcome. Whether the question is one of a source of goodness or something else, to short circuit the question is to cause the same harm as helping a butterfly from its cocoon - it won't be able to spread its wings and flutter on to continue the species. We need to simply be present and open with our invitation at each opportunity available. "Come and see." "Come and see." "Come and see." "Come and see."
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2006/january2006.html
There is a surprise in finding and being found. This comes from the experience and resignation to it that that which is desired will remain only a desire. When such arrives, from whatever direction, even if sought diligently, there is surprise, joy and thanksgiving.
Just prior to this accounting, Andrew, one of John the Baptist's disciples, found Jesus and went on to find his brother Simon Peter. Andrew experienced the two great commandments in this finding, God and neighbor (even if G*D show up as Jesus and neighbor as brother).
Now, Jesus finds Philip and Philip finds Nathanael. There is unexpectedness and even resistance in the being found. Earlier Jesus has responded, "Come and see" in regard to how he was living. Now, Philip repeats this gentle invitation unladen by promises and cant. You've got questions, we've got experiences. Let's see how they inform one another.
May we continue this tradition in our invitational approaches. Simply say what you've found, what happened when you were found, and invite others to, "come and see" what they may find and to explore their experience of being found.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2006/january2006.html
With tingling ears we have searched and searched for something that will not disappoint. We have searched inside ourselves and found the house of Eli still alive and well. We have lowered our expectations of everything and everywhere, it is all like Nazareth - unacceptable as a starting place.
A big place we searched was the law but we found it didn't reflect a Law of Justice very well. We could follow it forever and never find it brought us to a beneficial place, only a place bounded by Eli's sons waiting for a loophole to be found.
Finally it is important to fall back on such basics as being trustworthy and without deceit. These are very tough roads to travel that go beyond easy, prior, answers and are continually in need of integrated responses.
Finally it becomes a question of whom we will be with at the end.
If we will be with those we are now with, what response is needed now?
If we will be with ourselves as we are now, what response is needed?
If we will be with that unknown to us, what response is now needed?
- - -
follow me
come and see
hurry on
we will come to a mirror
and see as we are seen
choices will be feasted upon
responses will be made and remade
we'll see how this looks
and that
shapes will be formed
lives hidden will be revealed
roads will open
laws will fade
hurry
pay your money
takes your chance
you are seen
you can see
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html
How did you hear about Jesus? Was it from a relative? From a friend?
What did you hear about Jesus? That he connects law with prophets? That he is honest at a very deep level?
Where did you hear about Jesus? Was it under a fig tree where you were studying or feasting or trysting? Was it, as per Jacob's dream, at the bottom of a ladder connecting heaven with earth?
Regardless of these journalistic questions, did you recognize the plural "you" in the ladder vision? Perhaps in days of yore one person could whomp up this dream, but now it is communal. Want to see a picture of a better day when a curtain of separation is ripped asunder and the spirit of G*D moves freely between heaven and earth? – be with others who are so seeking. If you can keep yourselves free from mass hysteria – be your part in a supportive and correcting community with one another (the odds are you are already family with Philip and Nathanael) already under your (plural) "fig" tree, and dreaming strong together.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html
You want to buy a field? Can anything good come from that sort of investment. Invest, instead, in a bank too big to fail.
You found the fulfillment of Moses and the Prophets in Nazareth? Really, Nazareth!
How easy it would have been for Philip to walk away from Nathanael, but he took his conversation all the way to Missouri - “Come and see.”
How easy is it for you to walk away from a discouraging word? Do you have a next step in a conversation that will eventually lead to such an invitation as Philip’s?
Beyond this example of persistent evangelism, it is instructive to reflect on Nathanael as we do upon Thomas, another doubter. You might be interested in a book by Jennifer Michael Hecht, Doubt: A History: The Great Doubters and Their Legacy of Innovation from Socrates and Jesus to Thomas Jefferson and Emily Dickinson.
What is the basis of your belief? If not your friend Philip, why this Jesus claiming to have seen you under the symbol of a fig tree (any good magician could come up with this little praise of being honest, straight-forward, and patriotic)?
Another key ability to participate in life has to do with being able to move our belief as new occasions come along. One tendency is to keep believing the same thing in a new setting and failing to come to grips with a significant variation that would deepen or modify first impressions or beliefs. Blessings on keeping your beliefs up-to-date with your experiences.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2012/01/john-143-51.html