By PROF. JERRY IMBONG, PhD
1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19
Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10
1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20
Jn 1:35-42
In our readings today, we hear stories of callers, seekers, and followers. In the first reading, a rather confused Samuel heard a calling but does not immediately recognize who it was “because the LORD had not revealed anything to him yet.” Discerning the will of God entails li.
In the gospel, John the Baptist announces Jesus as the “Lamb of God.” As the foretold messiah, Jesus is the one who brings not just forgiveness for individual wrongdoing, but as the “Lamb of God” who brings communal liberation from oppression. John’s announcement echoes the Exodus story of the people of Israel being liberated from the slavery in Egypt: Jesus is the new Passover lamb who offers his life for the liberation of the poor and oppressed. Pastor Beyers Naudé, a leading Afrikaner anti-apartheid activist, ordained minister, and theologian of the South African Dutch Reformed remarked that to follow Jesus, the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world,” is “to fight systems of sin, to overturn societal injustice, and to dismantle laws and structures of oppression that benefit one group of people and press down others into untold suffering.”
The disciples of John the Baptist changed allegiance the moment they heard the Baptist call Jesus as the “Lamb of God.” Immediately, they followed Jesus—so they can join him in his liberating work. Jesus asked them, “what are you looking for?” They responded with a question, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” Jesus invited the two to “come and see.” Following entails learning, seeing, and feeling. This is where exposure-immersion programs are crucial: by living with and among the poor, we not only see and experience their concrete conditions, we also feel their daily hardships and struggles. Jesus’ invitation is not a one-time-big-time coming and seeing. An authentic life of Christian discipleship entails a prolonged and sustained commitment to learn from the poor and be evangelized by them.
Our prophetic task
As church-people, following Jesus necessarily involves living out our prophetic task. As pastors church-people must always be ready to defend God’s people, especially the poor, the defenseless and the voiceless. This also means that the pastor-prophet must confront the enemies of God’s people, be it social structures or individual persons.
This prophetic task is most often neglected if not, evaded. In most cases, it is easy (and convenient) to announce the Kingdom of God. However, we cower when we are called to denounce the forces of anti-Kingdom. Our prophetic task involves both denunciation and annunciation. The Brazilian philosopher Paulo Freire explains what these two terms imply: “denunciation of a dehumanizing reality and annunciation of its transcendence by another reality in which [persons] will be more fully human… The acts of denunciation and annunciation must be, not empty words, but historical commitments. Denunciation and annunciation are possible only through praxis, just as it is only through praxis that one can realize the ‘announcement’ proclaimed in the denunciation.”
Therefore, as prophets who follow in the steps of Jesus, two important points need to be internalized. First, neutrality is not a possibility. In the words of the American Presbyterian minister, theologian and activist Robert McAfee Brown, “To minister equally to all participants, is already taking sides. Such presumed neutrality will only reinforce the status quo. To denounce is not to take sides for the first time, it is simply to indicate which side one is already on.” Second, the denunciation is not merely word but deed as well, targeted against every dehumanizing situation. Third, denunciation must attack the causes of injustice and not just the consequences. Hence, we are called to become radical disciples/followers. To be radical means to dissect and analyze the problems to its roots, i.e., going into the root-cause of the issue. Lastly, negation implies affirmation, those who denounce must indicate the annunciatory stance from which they speak. Denunciation of land-grabbing is an annunciation of solidarity with landless peasants. Denunciation of low wages is an annunciation of support for labor movement and workers’ strikes. Denunciation of dictators, tyrants and unjust regimes entail an open support to democratic political leaders.
To follow Jesus is to “be” like Jesus, which also means giving historical “flesh” to Jesus, “embodying” him in history. Nourished by the liberating message of the gospel and strengthened by the daily hopes and struggles of the poor we are reminded of our task in the responsorial psalm: “I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.”
Today’s readings invite us to take part in a wondrous journey of listening, seeing and following. Perhaps the question to us now is more than “what are you looking for?” is “what are you waiting for?” 
Balik-Tanaw is a group blog of Promotion of Church People’s Response. The Lectionary Gospel reflection is an invitation for meditation, contemplation, and action. As we nurture our faith by committing ourselves to journey with the people, we also wish to nourish the perspective coming from the point of view of hope and struggle of the people. It is our constant longing that even as crisis intensifies, the faithful will continue to strengthen their commitment to love God and our neighbor by being one with the people in their dreams and aspirations. The Title of the Lectionary Reflection would be Balik –Tanaw , isang PAGNINILAY . It is about looking back (balik) or revisiting the narratives and stories from the Biblical text and seeing, reading, and reflecting on these with the current context (tanaw).
