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

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?”

With a certain ungraciousness, Nathanael asks, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” As a Jew, Nathanael would have attended synagogue and studied scripture. But, how well did he “know” God?

Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

When the time is right, God gives each of us the eyes to “see.”

Growing up, my mother and others taught me “about” God. But, I didn’t come to “see” and “know” God until I had been broken by life. Then, I went down on my knees and threw myself on God’s mercy with the words, “Help me! Please, help me!” God comes to us when our hearts are open to receive Him.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
“Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him.”

Just as a mother sees through the bluff and bluster of her frightened child, Jesus sees through our disguises and attitudes.

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.”

Jesus knew Nathanael, just as God knows you and me: “Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.” (Luke: 12-7)

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?”

As Jesus said, there was no “duplicity” in Nathanael, no guile. It was enough for Nathanael to know Jesus had seen him before, to know God was aware of him. It is when we know God sees us as we are that we too are ready to follow Him.

“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.”

How can we be sure Nathanael saw the miracles Jesus promised him? We need only turn back the pages of our own lives and see the miracles that have taken place along the way.

“Open my heart, Lord. Help me to love like you….”
(From the song “Open my Eyes”)