Thursday 4 January 2024

Today is Thursday the 4th of January, in the season of Christmas.


The Porter’s Gate sings, ‘He Comes’. As you listen, can you imagine seeing Jesus walking by?

He comes, the Lord's anointed One
And we shall see His face
As clear as if the rising sun
Poured out the light of grace
He comes, and we shall hear His voice
Not as some distant sound
But tones that make the heart rejoice
When love, long lost, is found
He comes, not to the wise and great
But to the bound and poor
So low Himself that potentates
Must kmeel to pass His door
He comes, with favor in his hands
Our empty souls to fill
To make a highway trough the sands
And bid the storms be still
He comes, and we shall come to him
Set free from ancient chains
Adorned in mercy's diadem
To glory in His reign
He comes, the Lord, as one of us
He comes to judge the earth
How wonderful, how glorious
His long awaited birth




Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John.

John 1:35-42

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he 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 see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter).


“What are you looking for?” Jesus asks the two disciples trailing him on the path. “Teacher, where are you staying?” He invites them to come and see. Place yourself into the scene as one of these two disciples… what are you feeling?

If you were to ask the question “Where are you staying?” of Jesus today, where do you think he might take you?

“We have found the Messiah.” What do these words mean to you today? Can you feel the weight of them?

As you hear the passage again, place yourself in the scene. Allow Jesus to lead you to where he is staying. What is your reaction to the place where he is staying? Look all around you. Take the whole scene in. Do you feel at home?

As this time of reflection draws to a close, you might ask to continue a conversation with the Lord, in the place where he is staying. Whatever else you experience in the encounter, you can be sure of warm hospitality, a wonderful reception.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.