Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle
In our daily lives, we meet people who we do not know. Whether we are at the grocery, school, work, or even church, we interact with others who are strangers. Unfortunately in our polarized world, we may find ourselves judging and choosing to exclude these “others” because they look different, speak a different language, or even have a different mindset. Jesus calls us to open our hearts, minds and arms to others, so we can recognize that Christ dwells in every person, and every encounter with another is an opportunity to find God.
Today’s gospel is the story of how Philip introduces Jesus to Nathanael (Bartholomew). Even before Nathanael meets Jesus he comments, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Despite his reservations, Nathanael remains open to the prospect that Jesus is the messiah as Phillip invites him to “come and see.” Jesus recognizes that Nathanael’s intentions are pure despite his off-handed comment about Nazareth. Could it be that Nathanael is recalling the Hebrew teaching that the messiah was to come from Bethlehem not from Nazareth? Jesus explains that Nathanael is a child of Israel and has no duplicity in him, since Jesus sees Nathanael’s willingness to remain open to truth as he follows Phillip to meet Jesus. Because of his open eyes and hearts, Nathanael does recognize Jesus as the messiah, and he proclaims that he is “the Son of God!”
When reading this scripture in the past, I have always focused on Nathanael’s negative comment about Galilee, and I have missed the more significant focus of this story. It is Nathanael’s seeking, openness, and ability to reserve judgment that allows him to find Jesus and believe in the truth that He shares. Jesus recognizes that Nathanael has a pure heart and a devotion for his faith. Instead of a person making a snide comment, I can now see that Nathanael is the kind of disciple that Jesus calls each of us to be.
When trying to imitate Nathanael, I wonder where we can find the ability to greet others with the same openness and pure intentions. I believe that prayer and God’s grace is where we find our guidance. It is through the encounters with others, that we learn and accept that God is bigger than we think. Sr. Joan Chittister (Benedictine nun and theologian) explains, “To be a contemplative we must open our hearts and our doors to the stranger in whom lives the Word that is calling our boundaried hearts to become wider.” She goes on further to say, “We must live in peace. We must speak peace everywhere to everyone. We must speak good about everyone we do not know- and yet do know to be just as full of God as we are.” In the unknown others around us, Christ is in our midst. When we remain open, respectful, and accepting, we live out the faith that says we are all part of the Body of Christ. When we connect with God through our prayer, sacrament and scripture, each open encounter with another, allows us to see a different aspect of how God is alive in the world around us.
Loving God, Jesus calls us to follow Him. Send down Your Spirit so we may be rooted in your truth, and allow this truth to guide our thoughts, words, and actions. May we work to bring unity, peace, and love to the many places we encounter others in our lives. May your grace help us to recognize that Christ is in every other person we meet. We pray this in Christ’s name. AMEN.
-Marylynn Herchline