Come and See

Editor’s Note: Nowadays, the young man who enters St. Joseph’s Province to be formed as a Dominican friar first comes to Washington. Before he begins the long and arduous journey, he finds himself in the cloister of the Dominican House of Studies for three days, called a “Come and See” weekend. Please pray for the seven men who will make their solemn profession tomorrow.

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.” (John 1:38–39)

The young man arrived at the novitiate with only a hope. He had seen the friar preacher in the parish, in the university, in the street: the poor, chaste, obedient man, professing his belief in the poor, chaste, obedient Christ. And so the young man was moved to leave all behind to find out who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from? (Rev 7:13). He quickly learned these ones in white follow the Lamb wherever he goes (Rev 14:4), though the path be not always through safe country. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also (John 12:26). The life of total surrender to Christ leaves one radically dependent on the Lord for every next step. I raise my eyes toward the mountains. From whence shall come my help? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth (Ps 121:1–2). And so the young man, the new friar, begins to grow.

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” (John 1:45–46)

Nazareth is a very ordinary place, and yet the young man was not expecting ordinary. He had seen his glory (John 1:14), the glory of Christ, in his life. He had seen him despised and rejected by others, a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity (Isa 53:3). But life is not all Tabor or Calvary. This life needs brothers. Only with his brothers can the friar, newly professed or centenarian, truly follow Christ—truly recognize Christ. The friar quickly learned this in his years of formation. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! (Ps 133:1). It is a sure and simple life Christ has given him, so that he and his brothers grow in faith and love, each one preaching to the other through sacrifice and fraternal charity: Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me (Matt 28:10).

Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done!” (John 4:28–29)

Through years of prayer, study, and living of the vows, the friar has been transformed. Everything that he is, good and bad, is known before God. Though naturally a man who is weak and short-lived, with little understanding of judgment and laws (Wis 9:5), the friar has been changed by grace: you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy (Ps 30:11). Zeal now consumes him as he awaits the time when he can preach the goodness and mercy of the Lord, a goodness and mercy he has known intimately.

He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” (John 11:34)

The friar has come a long way from the young man he was when he entered. He is ready to promise everything forever. He is not capable of adding anything to Christ, but he offers the only thing he can: all of himself, for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave (Song 8:6). Only his complete self-emptying—his death to self—is a gift worthy of his Master, who died for him: I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones (Ps 116:14–15).

Tomorrow here in Washington, seven young men who were once called to come and see will profess vows until death in this Order of Preachers. Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light (Eph 5:14). Tomorrow is the beginning, not the end, for in the death of Christ, death becomes life.