August 24, 2021

St. Bartholomew

Jn 1: 45-51 

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.” 

When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 

Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.

“Come and See”

In today’s Gospel Philip invites Nathanael to meet the Messiah that they have been waiting for. However, Nathanael responds with prejudice saying, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Instead of arguing with Nathanael and pointing out the flaws in that way of thinking, Philip simply says, “Come and see.” As much as we hate to admit it, we all have prejudices to some degree. Whether that be towards people or people’s opinions and ideas. However, when we do as Philip suggests and “come and see” and actually get to know people, it becomes harder to hang on to those prejudices.

What prejudices of mine conflict with my Catholic Christian faith? What is a concrete step I can take today to get to know someone better or to better understand a different perspective other than my own? 

—Br. Pat Douglas, SJ, is the Provincial Assistant for Vocations for the Midwest Province and lives at the Creighton Prep Jesuit community in Omaha, Nebraska. 

Prayer

Give us a measure of your Spirit
that we may be enabled to obey your teaching:
to pacify anger,
to take part in pity,
to moderate desire,
to increase love,
to put away sorrow,
to cast away vain glory,
not to be vindictive,
not to fear death;
ever entrusting our spirit to the immortal God.

—St. Apollonius