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Gospel Reading for August 24, 2024 – John 1: 45-51
OPPORTUNITY
Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
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Most biblical scholars believe that Bartholomew, the apostle whose feast we celebrate today and Nathanael, are one and the same person.
“Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Some of us are like Nathanael. We have BIASES. We have not yet seen or interacted with a person, we already make our judgment from the information we receive. Good, Nathanael had the chance to meet Jesus and conclude that he was not just another Nazarene. He was so much more than that: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” What, if Nathanael did not go with Philip? He would have missed the great blessing of being one of Jesus’ 12 apostles. He would have missed the great OPPORTUNITY of spending 3 years of his life with the Son of God!
Everyday is an OPPORTUNITY to receive blessings from God. Our BIASES deter us from receiving blessings through the people God sends us in this journey called LIFE. Let us not miss these opportunities. When we miss them, they are forever lost!
St. Bartholomew, pray for us!
