29-Sep-16

Gospel JN 1:47-51

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:

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,

“Here is a true child of Israel.

There is no duplicity in him.”

Occasionally, we meet someone like Nathanael, a true child of God, without "duplicity."

I have the good fortune to know such a child. Luke is 12 years old and is from St. Louis, Missouri.

This past summer, Luke along with his dad and sister, visited My Brother's Keeper for a week.

Luke is open, forthright and sincere. He has a caring heart and is filled with enthusiasm and compassion.

I recently read a letter Luke wrote about his experience at My Brother's Keeper.

Luke shared about being approached by a young boy in one of the families that he delivered to: "A little boy who was four came up to me and said, 'You saved my house.' I was so touched at that moment because of how little this family had."

In writing about the people he delivered furniture to, Luke said, "The places that My Brother's Keeper serves seem so uninhabitable to me. I have never seen these kind of living conditions. It made me realize how much God has blessed me."

As Jesus was touched by the lack of guile and duplicity in Nathanael, so have I been touched by young Luke's goodness and willingness to share his love without judgement or preconditions.

"A little child shall lead them." - - Isaiah 9:6