Homily- Monday of the 21st Week of Ordinary
time Yr. B./Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle
v
Rev. 21:9b-14
v
Ps 145:10-11, 12-13,17-18
v
John 1:45-51
Celebrating the Joy of the New Jerusalem
On this feast day of Saint Bartholomew, and in the light
of today’s Bible readings, we celebrate not only the joy of the new Jerusalem,
new things of freedom and faith in the Lord, who knew us from creation, but
also has given us the grace to accept and spread his splendor to the four
corners of the earth as Bartholomew did, even to the point of death.
From today’s Gospel of John 1:45-51 and the church’s tradition
we a learn that Nathanael (Bartholomew) was from Cana in Galilee, a place where
Jesus in John 2, changed water in to wine. His friend, St. Philip, introduced
him, humanly speaking to Jesus, who made him one of his Twelve Apostles.
According to traditions St. Bartholomew preached the Gospel as far as India,
where he was martyred for the faith.
Even though his identity is something of a puzzle, it is significant
that, beside been mentioned as Nathanael in today’s Gospel and as Philips friends(not as Bartholomew in John),
he is listed among the twelve Apostles in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke
(Matt 10:1-4; Mark 3:13-19 and Luke 6:12-16)
as Bartholomew, and also as being present at the Ascension, (Acts 1:4, 12, 13) and
every time he is mentioned, he is listed alongside the Apostle Philip.
What is also interesting in Nathanael’s story narrated in
today’s Gospel is that before Philip introduced Nathanael (God’s gifts) to
Jesus, who being divine saw through, in fact, knew Bartholomew or Nathanael by
name, as an honest and true child of Israel without duplicity (dolos),
without deceit and treachery! Most
importantly too, is Nathanael faith in the Son of God, the king of Israel, who
knew him while sitting and reading the Torah under the fig tree as was customarily
in Jewish culture and metaphors.
Nathanael purity,
without dolos, may have led to his to his personal calling among the
Twelve Apostles which is connected to the vision of the New Jerusalem of the Book
of Revelation chapter 21:9b-14, of the first reading of today, which some as a
book would see as a literature of the oppressed. This visi0n reminds us of the
transformation from the twelve tribes Israel; from the sons of Jacob, to the
new city of God, the New Jerusalem after a long walk of sufferings, oppression,
exiles to freedom in Christ, who recognizes us by name, as he would have
recognized Nathanael by name and named him among his Twelve Apostles.
Nathanael being
among the twelve challenges us to rethink our missionary calling to faith, hope
and love, and the disposition to sincerely like Nathanael preach and live the
Gospel, conscious that we are all, from creation known by God, and sent by him
to love him, to do his will, to serve him, to make known the glorious splendor of his
kingdom and to be “under the fig tree” (reading the scriptures, keeping the faith,
doing what the church teaches and that which is expected of us as good
citizens).
Nathanael, according to tradition might have did this,
and preached the Gospel as far as India, where he was martyred. The question for
us today, is how far are we willing to celebrate the New Jerusalem, the
Christian faith, to imitate, Saint Bartholomew (Nathanael) to lead others to
Christ, or to bear witness to the Gospel in the midst the challenges that newly
face us today?
Reflection Questions:
1.
Could we think of where we were
before our callings or who introduced us to our faith?
2.
How often do we trust, as Nathanael
did, without dolos (deceit) that Christ is the Son of the Living God?
3.
What are the new ways that we are willing
to spread the joy of the New Jerusalem to others no matter the cost?
