St Bartholomew Apostle

Saturday August 24, 2024

Feast of Saint Bartholomew Apostle 

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.

First Reading: Revelation 21:9-14 

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: Ps 145:10-11,12-13,17-18

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.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Rabbi, you are the Son of God;
you are the King of Israel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: John 1:45-51

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found the one that Moses wrote about in the Law, and the prophets as well: he is Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth."

Nathanael replied, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." When Jesus saw Nathanael coming, he said of him, "Here comes an Israelite, a true one; there is nothing false in him." Nathanael asked him, "How do you know me?" And Jesus said to him, "Before Philip called you, you were under the fig tree and I saw you."

Nathanael answered, "Master, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" But Jesus replied, "You believe because I said: 'I saw you under the fig tree.' But you will see greater things than that.

Truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon 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.

Reflection :

Every Christian is an ‘evangeliser’

Nathanael knew the scriptures and their promises of fulfilment. Yet his heart was restless and was seeking more. He longed for an intimate relationship with God. He was willing to respond to the call “come and see.” He was a man without guile and so he could encounter what he sought easily. Jesus had already found him: “I saw you under fig tree.” God knew the heart of Nathanael because he was a seeker of truth.

It would be more exact to say that Jesus recognizes those whom the Father has entrusted to him. That is why Jesus declared Nathanael as a “true Israelite” even though he did not accept Jesus as the Messiah.

The honesty of Nathanael in seeking truth brought him to Jesus. “Come and see” was the answer to his search. He was a man without guile and so he could encounter what he sought sooner. We wonder what he saw and experienced.

But the brief yet intense encounter with Jesus helped him to understand that God’s plan is not always as people imagine or desire it to be. He recognizes and acknowledges his deception or mistake. He changes his idea, accepts Jesus as Messiah and confesses, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel!”  He obliged willingly to the invitation for a come and see experience. He discovered a God who is intimately united to the human beings. We come to know the extent of what Nathanael experienced from his later witness of life. He found in Jesus a message that is alive and that brings joy for all which he could not but share.

He found in Jesus a message that is alive and that brings joy for all. He left his homeland and took along with him the treasure that he found as far as India and many other places.

His initial encounter with Jesus took him to the realms he could never conceive. St. John saw it in his vision of the Holy City where on the foundations stones the names of the apostles of the lamb were written. Nathanael thus remains a foundation stone for the evangelizing community.

Pope Francis shares his dream of every Christian becoming an ‘evangeliser’ sharing the Word that is alive and joyful. It all begins from an honest “come and see.” Because ‘the World is charged with the grandeur of God’ (G. Hopkins).

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24 August 2024

Saint Bartholomew, Apostle

John 1: 45-51

“Come and See” 

We have little information about Bartholomew, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus. The Church has identified him with Nathanael for centuries. The Gospel of John says Nathanael came from Cana in Galilee [21.2]. As with Andrew and Simon, Philip wished to share his joy of finding Jesus with his friend Nathanael. Philip used his knowledge of the scriptures to describe Jesus to his friend and says he found the one Moses wrote about in the law, as had the prophets and invites Nathanael to “Come and see!” 

His encounter with Jesus, as described in the Gospel of John, offers us profound insights into our faith journey and mission. Nathanael’s initial scepticism is evident when he asks, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip’s response is simple yet powerful: “Come and see.”

This invitation to “come and see” is the first step in our faith journey. It is an invitation to encounter Jesus personally. Nathanael’s scepticism was transformed into faith when he met Jesus and experienced His divine knowledge and love, and immediately makes his profession of faith: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”

According to the traditions, Bartholomew preached the Gospel in Armenia and Persia and, like most of the apostles, was martyred for his faith. As Christians, we are called not only to come and see but also to go and tell. Our encounter with Jesus compels us to share the Good News with others. This mission is not limited to words but is also reflected in our actions and the way we live our lives. 

“Come and See”  - Youtube