AN ISRAELITE WITHOUT DECEIT

FEAST OF ST. BATHOLOMEW, APOSTLE

Apos 21:9-14; Ps 145:10-13,17-18; Jn 1:45-51

An Israelite Incapable of Deceit

The feast of the Apostle Batholomew brings our reflection this week to a close. The testimony of our Lord for this great apostle holds our attention in the Gospel. “When Jesus saw Nathanael coming he said of him, ‘There is an Israelite who deserves the name, incapable of deceit.’ This comment or witness of our Lord shows God’s deep and complete knowledge of us. God does not need any testimony from anybody about us, for he made us and has complete knowledge of our person. God knows those are Israel in their hearts and those who are Israel only by name, as confirmed in the conversation that followed the encounter. Our Lord revealed this foreknowledge to him and gave us to understand that Nathanael’s call was not initiated by Philip, but by himself. “‘How do you know me?’ said Nathanael. ‘Before Philip came to call you,’ said Jesus ‘I saw you under the fig tree.’” This foreknowledge made Nathanael believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ and follow him. This foreknowledge of God about us makes a deep impression on us whenever we come to the knowledge. It is part of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who revealed the Father who knows and loves each of us in his Son. In this foreknowledge, he called and chose each of us for salvation in his Only Begotten Son.

The foreknowledge of each of us generalises to what the Book of Revelation presented in the first reading. The vision given to John of the revelation of the Bride of the Lamb, the new Jerusalem. As he saw, the New Jerusalem was built solely by God and revealed from heaven. We see this in the call of Nathanael, whom Jesus convinced that he was known and called by God. This foreknowledge relates to the city wall resting on the apostles of the Lamb. “The city walls stood on twelve foundation stones, each one of which bore the name of one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” God knows and calls everyone who is to become part of the new Jerusalem. This conclusion accords with the prophecies of God’s gathering of the scattered children of Israel, which we understood to mean the gathering of all those who desire the homeland where righteousness will be at home. The New Jerusalem is constituted by all those who desire holiness and long for the coming of God’s salvation as Nathanael. The New Jerusalem is the Bride of the Lamb. God calls everyone to the wedding of his Son, but many are unwilling to attend. Those who desire, are made ready by God himself to enter the wedding hall. We read this in the Gospel two days ago.

Those who accepted the invitation to come and see Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word made flesh for our salvation, will come to the knowledge of God. They shall know his goodness to all creatures. The Psalmist proclaims this. “All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord and your friends shall repeat their blessing. They shall speak of the glory of your reign and declare your might, O God.” The friends of God are those who accepted the call to be in the company of Jesus Christ and followed him. They are those who broke their attachments to things of this world and followed him in poverty and purity of heart. This is unlike the rich young man who went away sad at the demand of discipleship. Those who kept his company received the revelation of the Father that only the Begotten Son gives. Jesus promised Nathanael this in the Gospel. “You believe that just because I said: I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.’ And then he added ‘I tell you most solemnly, you will see heaven laid open and, above the Son of Man, the angels of God ascending and descending.’” The angels ascend and descend on the Son of Man because he reveals to them the will of the Father. The Father’s will is our daily bread and the bread of the angels. Jesus Christ is the bread from heaven for us.

Let us pray: Strengthen in us, O Lord, the faith, by which the blessed Apostle Batholomew clung wholeheartedly to your Son, and grant that through the help of his prayers your Church may become for all nations the sacrament of salvation.