24-Aug-16

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.”
Reflection:
Upon seeing Nathanael coming toward Him, Jesus described him as a "true son of Israel," saying, "there is no duplicity in him."
That is a high compliment coming from the Son of God.
Nathanael was the kind of man that every parent wants their child to have as a friend; he would not cheat or lie, or ever be underhanded.
If Nathanael had lived in my neighborhood, I can almost hear my mother saying, "Jimmy, why don't you hang around with Nathanael? He's such a nice boy."
Sinners, like me, seek Jesus because we yearn for the forgiveness of God.
But, the pure of heart like Nathanael yearn for Jesus out of a desire to be close to the goodness of God.
The beauty of Nathanael is that he was good and honest, "without duplicity," before he knew Jesus.
Without realizing it, Nathanael was a "ready made" Christian who had not yet found Christ.
Being forthright, Nathanael without hesitation asks Jesus "How do you know me?"
Jesus answered Nathanael, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."
Nathanael immediately acknowledged, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”
The name Nathanael means "gift from God."
May we strive to be like Nathanael, without duplicity, so that we also may be a gift from God.
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me." - - Psalm 51:10