The example of St John the Apostle

With their hunger for knowledge, they came to the school of John the Baptist, that itinerant teacher. Jesus passed by and, respiciens Iesum ambulantem (John 1:36).⁷ And the Baptist exclaimed, Ecce Agnus Dei, behold the Lamb of God. Two of John the Baptist’s disciples, John and Andrew, heard those words, et secuti sunt Iesum (John 1:37); and they followed Jesus.

Then Our Lord asks them, What do you want? And their answer, not entirely logical, is, Rabbi, ubi habitas? (John 1:38). Teacher, where do you live? Jesus says to them, Venite et videte; come and see (John 1:39). John and Andrew went, they saw where he was living and they spent the day with him.

Their conversation must have been lengthy, and love must have sunk deep into John’s young heart, because when – many years later – he recounts his divine adventure, that part of the Gospel has the simplicity and the tone of an affectionate diary. Hora autem erat quasi decima (John 1:39), it was about four o’clock in the afternoon, he writes, as he recalls the very moment when videns eos sequentes se (John 1:38), seeing that they were following him, Jesus invited them to accompany him.