Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The Virgin Mary appeared to fifteen people in Knock, Ireland in 1879. Most of the people present remember the beauty of the Virgin but did not remember that there was a three month old lamb and Saint John with the Bible on the altar. The lamb and the bible are a symbol of the two parts of the mass. The liturgy of the Word of God is the first part of the Mass and God speaks to us through the Scriptures, which speak of his Son, even the Old Testament. The second part is the liturgy of the Eucharist where Christ, as a pure lamb, offers himself again to the Father.
In salvation history the lamb is very important since the blood of the lamb saved the first born males during the Exodus. The lamb also is silent when you cut his throat. The true Lamb of God is Jesus Christ and he is also silent in front of his passion. The true lamb of God saves us from our sins and from death. So this apparition in Ireland was very profound. It said a lot that can help us. In front of an injustice I should also be silent, like Christ. And this Lamb will also give us peace, which is what we ask for every time we say the Lamb of God in the Eucharist.
There are some unusual things in the gospel (John 1: 35-42). It does not say the location, the city or the lake where this encounter took place. Why do you think John wrote it this way? I think he might be saying that not matter where you are you can abide with Christ, you can be with him. There is also one disciple who is not named. Why? It could be you or me!! To be a disciple is a journey that lasts all our life and takes many turns. And God doesn’t just call us once and then forgets about us. He calls us many times a day and the gospel invites us to listen to him.
Lastly, when things go badly remember what Saint Paul says: you have been bought at a great price (1 Cor. 6: 17-20). Don’t give in to the flesh as an escape. It only makes us feel worse. God is testing you to help you to see the truth: that you need Jesus Christ.