Reflection for January 5
In today’s gospel reading, we hear that Jesus goes to Galilee, finds Philip, and invites him to “Follow me.” Philip’s faith is so great that he immediately goes to find his friend Nathanael to share the great news: “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law…Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” But Nathanael does not react with the same zeal that Philip anticipates; he responds rather harshly, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Wow! How shocked Philip must have been. But Philip does not argue with his friend. He simply invites him, “Come and see.”
Put yourself in Nathanael’s shoes. How many of us might respond exactly like him? How many of us might also think, “Can anything good come from ____________?” Finish that question with any number of words that might come to mind. Will we allow our own prejudices and mistaken beliefs to cloud our acceptance of people, places, or events in our lives? Will we simply dismiss others because of our own feelings and go our separate ways? Will we not even take the time to “come and see” and allow ourselves a change of heart?
Nathanael’s faith is so great that it prompts him to go with Philip to “see” what he is proclaiming. While still approaching, Jesus calls out to him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity (dishonesty) in him.” Astonished, Nathanael replies, “How do you know me?” Jesus answers, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” At those words Nathanael proclaims, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.” Nathanael knows in his heart that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah. He knows that he must follow Him as a disciple. In return, Jesus asks and then promises, “Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.”
Jesus, the all-knowing, all-loving, all-present God, saw Philip and Nathanael and He sees us. He looks for us and calls us daily, even when we are not seeking Him. Will we dismiss Him as so many have and continue to do? Or will we, like Nathanael and Philip, embrace Jesus’ invitation to “come and see,” invite others to join us on the journey, and allow our hearts to be transformed in His Love?
Ellen Dubinsky