Friday August 24
Introduction
It is quite likely that Nathaniel of today’s gospel is the same person as the apostle Bartholomew. If so, he was an open and honest man, “in whom there was no deceit,” as Jesus said.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
would that it could be said of each of us:
”there goes and honest person
in whom their is no deceit,”
one who is worthy of the name Christian.
Make us into true disciples of Jesus
who live as we believe day after day,
and who cooperate in bringing people
to your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Reading 1 RV 21:9B-14
The angel spoke to me, saying,
"Come here.
I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."
He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain
and showed me the holy city Jerusalem
coming down out of heaven from God.
It gleamed with the splendor of God.
Its radiance was like that of a precious stone,
like jasper, clear as crystal.
It had a massive, high wall,
with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed
and on which names were inscribed,
the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.
There were three gates facing east,
three north, three south, and three west.
The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation,
on which were inscribed the twelve names
of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.
Responsorial Psalm 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18
R. (12) Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Alleluia JN 1:49B
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Rabbi, you are the Son of God;
you are the King of Israel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel JN 1:45-51
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."
Intercessions
– For faith in the Church and for confidence in the future, because we are certain that Christ is present among us, we pray:
– For the spirit of Christian love and of forgiveness for all people, for we are certain that all are invited in Christ to share in God’s unending happiness, we pray:
– For all who are baptized in Christ’s name, that they may follow their Savior in his love and spirit of service, we pray
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
you have called us together,
saints and sinners alike,
at the table of your Son.
Accept the willingness we offer you
to carry out in everyday life
the task you entrust to us.
Let your Son make us your new people
always open to the prompting of your love.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God, loving Father,
in this eucharistic celebration
we have encountered your Son
as our Lord and Savior.
He has seen us and he loves us.
May we live as we believe,
that there be no deceit im us
but that we follow your Son
on the road of self-giving love,
for he is our Lord for ever.
Blessing
What a great honor if the Lord can call us a true person, someone in whom there is no deceit! May almighty God bless you all, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Commentary
What was Nathanael (Bartholomew) doing under the fig tree that was so revealing of his authenticity? We would never know for sure. Yet, being under the fig tree seems to refer to being in communion with God and walking in God’s ways (see Mic 4:4; Zech 3:10). Whatever Nathanael did under the fig tree, Jesus’s mentioning the event evoked an immediate pronouncement of faith from him who had been skeptical until then about anything good coming from Nazareth.
One thing we know from the encounter: God sees us. Even before Philip met Nathanael and spoke about Christ, Jesus has seen him. He sees us whether we are under the fig tree or in the market place. He not only sees where we are and what we do, but also sees into the deepest movements of our hearts. Nathanael received high praise from Christ. When I meet Christ at my resurrection, what would he have to say about me?