Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle
“The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness’” (Jer. 31:3). This verse from the Prophet Jeremiah came back to me as I prayed our readings for today, and serves, I think, as an umbrella covering for them. The first reading refers to our relationship with Christ as his bride. The psalm makes clear our friendship with God. Today is the Feast of St Bartholomew, also known as Nathaniel/Nathanael, one of the Twelve Apostles. Prior to calling Nathanael, Jesus sees him, fully sees him. Foundational to his call, his vocation, is God’s everlasting love for him. Jesus loved Nathanael, he saw him, and he knew him intimately with a spousal love. Nathanael’s story is ours, as well. Today, may we fall deeper in love with Jesus, and awaken more fully to how he loves us, sees us, and knows us.
Philip introduces Nathanael to Jesus. Jesus says of Nathanael, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.” Nathanael responds incredulously, “How do you know me?” Jesus answers, “I saw you under the fig tree.” I interpret this statement as much more profound than a mere acknowledgment of having observed where Nathanael was sitting. I think Jesus is revealing to Nathanael that he sees him, deeply sees and knows him. It was a revelation of Christ’s divinity. Psalm 139 begins, “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.” How about you? Have you, like Nathanael, ever questioned or doubted that God knows you? Are you confident that God sees you? Psalm 139 continues, “You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.” How do all these verses make you feel? How does it feel to be seen and known?
Our psalm response sings out, “Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.” God calls us friends; God calls you friend. Jesus assures us, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). Nathanael became a close, personal friend of Jesus, living, ministering, and evangelizing with him. You and I, too, become close personal friends of Jesus when we accept his invitation to follow him. What does it mean to you to be Christ’s friend? Think about the characteristics of a close friend. Take a moment to name some of those. Might you, today, receive Christ’s gift of friendship more gratefully and offer him your friendship? What might that friendship with Christ look like for you? What difference could it make in your life?
In our first reading, we are invited into St John’s vision. He writes, “The angel spoke to me, saying, ‘Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.’” John saw the holy city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven. “The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation, on which were inscribed the twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.” Nathanael and the other Apostles were forerunners for the entire Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ. The intimacy that the Twelve had with Christ as his friends, companions, and inner circle was nothing compared to the intimacy that Christ desires with them and with all of us now as his Bride. Spousal intimacy is the ultimate intimacy. In a Sacramental union, husband and wife are truly one. A spousal relationship is characterized by knowing and being known, vulnerability, transparency, honor, respect, honesty, tenderness, servanthood, sacrifice, compassion, covenant commitment, unconditional love. What other virtues and qualities might you name? Pause and consider what it means to you that you are Christ’s bride? What does it mean to you that Christ loves you with extravagant, passionate, and undying love? How do you feel knowing that Christ desires deep intimacy with you? What characteristics of spousal love might you offer to Jesus today?
Today, as we go about our day, let us hear God say to each of us, I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. Let us ponder how indescribably incredible it is that God, the Holy Trinity, sees us. Let us contemplate that God knows each of us more fully and completely than we know ourselves. Let us fall on our face in gratitude, awe and wonder that Eternal Love itself loves us far beyond our ability to imagine. May we grow today in friendship with God and in intimacy with Christ, our Spouse. Amen!
Elizabeth Wells