21st Week in Ordinary Time
Bartholomew, apostle

1st Reading: Rev 21:9b–14

Gospel: Jn 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.”

Commentary
Nathanael made a prejudicial remark about Jesus coming from Nazareth, but was quick to withdraw it, after he had met Jesus. All of us, who want to follow the word of God, must beware of prejudices against places of birth, racial or denominational differences in others. When we look closely for ourselves, we will sometimes find good in places, where we looked for none. Many people are kept from the ways of God by the unreasonable prejudices they conceive.
At least, in Nathanael there was no guile. He was not hypocritical, nor was he dishonest. He was of sound character, an upright, godly man. Jesus witnessed true character when Nathanael was under the fig tree. He might have been in prayer, seeking direction as to the hope and consolation of Israel. But Jesus knew what he was, and this showed him that Jesus knew the secrets of his heart. Likewise, we should seek to be one of those, of whom it is said: there is no guile. While imperfections are found in all of us, hypocrisy doesn’t belong to our Christian character. When Christ communes with us in prayer, things in heaven and things on earth are reconciled and united together.

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