The Feast of St Bartholomew | Wednesday 24 August 2022

Today is Wednesday the 24th August, the feast of Saint Bartholemew.

Ex Cathedra, directed by Jeffrey Skidmore, sing Dulce Jesus mio. “My sweet Jesus, look with mercy on my soul.” This is not the prayer of someone proud or haughty or self-satisfied, but of a person aware that they have weaknesses and shortcomings, aware that they cannot do without the help and the love and the mercy of God.

Yyaî Jesuchristo apoquîrui, itacu niyucîpî ninahît’ zobi.
Dulce Jesús mío mirad con piedad mi alma perdida por culpa mortal.
My sweet Jesus, look with mercy on my soul lost through mortal guilt.

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John.

John 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 towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come 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.’

At the beginning of this reading, Nathanael isn’t too impressed with Jesus. He’s a small-town boy from the back of beyond. What kinds of people might you be tempted to write off, before you’ve even met them?

Jesus, by contrast, is very impressed with Nathanael. He’s “an Israelite in whom there is no deceit”, high praise indeed! How might Jesus describe you, in the kind of short character-sketch that he uses of Nathanael?

Nathanael is won over by responding to Philip’s invitation to “come and see” Jesus. How has your own life been changed by responding to similar invitations?

Notice, as you listen again, to the promise that Jesus makes to Nathanael at the end of the passage.

What might Jesus be promising you just now? Speak to him about what you see, or what you would want to see.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.