Word to the Wise
Wednesday, August 24, 2016 - Aug. 24 - St. Bartholomew, Apostle
[Rev 21:9b-14 and John 1:45-51]WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016 ST. BARTHOLOMEW, apostle [Revelation 21:9b-14 and John 1:45-51] Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth." But Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Whether one calls him Bartholomew or Nathanael, I love this scene. It neatly captures the entire Gospel of John! The response, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?", expresses much of the initial skepticism that the early Christian community experienced when speaking about Jesus. Philip's last line, "Come and see," captures the invitation and result, especially when one considers how important "seeing" is in the Gospel of John. But Nathanael receives a wonderful compliment from Jesus when he (Nathanael) accepts the invitation: "Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him." Jesus knew this guy would be a good recruit! Nathanael makes an immediate profession of faith: "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." An apostle is a person who is "sent." The word comes from the Greek word for "sending" someone to do something. The term sums up what all of us by virtue of our baptism are called to do. We go and talk to the folks sitting under their fig trees (where Nathanael was sitting when Philip found him). When they show skepticism, we invite them to come and see for themselves. There's nothing like the power of a personal invitation. Can anything good come from Nazareth? We certainly believe so and bet our lives on him! AMEN
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