Ordinary Time

Pause

Christ is the light of the world — the one who sees us and helps us to see with the eyes of faith. In the season of Epiphany, we ponder who Christ is and remember his ministry among the people of Israel, as well as the outcasts and foreigners.

And we remember that God has called each of us to bear Christ’s light in the world.

So what is God calling you to see in your own life? Or to see in the lives of those around you? How might others know and see God in you this week?

Come. Come and see.

Listen

The next day Jesus wanted to go into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter.

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law and the Prophets: Jesus, Joseph’s son, from Nazareth.”

Nathanael responded, “Can anything from Nazareth be good?”

Philip said, “Come and see.”

John 1:43-46

Think

We have all kinds of prejudices and stereotypes in our world. We often judge people based on where they’re from, the color of their skin, their accent, their education level, or their economic status.

Nathanael is no exception. He, too, wonders if anything from Nazareth can possibly be good. Maybe he’s had experiences with people from Nazareth before and has been hurt. But Philip, who has met and experienced a little bit of Jesus, isn’t willing to give up there. Instead, he invites Nathanael to come and see — to come and experience for himself what following Jesus is all about.

We remember how Jesus reached out to people, inviting them to come and see, or come and hear about his life and ministry. We’re also called to invite others to come and see who Jesus is and the amazing things he’s doing in our lives and our world.

Who would you like to invite to come and see? How could you invite others to experience God’s love this week?

Annabelle Peake Markey

Pray

I want to see, God! I want to see past the stereotypes and prejudices I’ve been seeing through. I want to see with your eyes instead, and see what you’re doing in the world and in my life. Help me to see and help me to invite others to come, see, and experience your life-giving love. Amen.

Go

Go, seen in the light of Christ.

Go, surrounded by the light of Christ.

Go, bearing the light of Christ to the world.

Go, reflecting the light of Christ to those in need.

Go, seeing the light of Christ shining forth from others.