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.
One of those twelve names is the name of Bartholomew, identified by tradition with Nathanael in today's gospel. He is part of the very foundation of the heavenly city where we all hope to live. But he did not start off the way. He started off with a shockingly modern cynicism.
But Nathanael said to him,
"Can anything good come from Nazareth?"
Fortunately Philip pressed the matter. Do we press the matter when we encounter an initial doubt? It is a good thing Philip is courageous enough, not to argue, but to invite.
Philip said to him, "Come and see."
While Nathanael is still figuring this out Jesus already knows him. This is what is convincing to Nathanael. Being so completely understood and yet accepted is something he has never experienced before.
"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."
Even back there, he thinks, while I was doubting the rumors about him, he was aware of me and waiting for me, waiting for Philip to bring me to him. The love of Jesus moves Nathanael to faith sufficient to become part of the very foundation of the Church where the angels are seen "ascending and descending on the Son of Man." This love drove him as far as India and Greater Armenia, where, tradition tells us, he was martyred.
Let us give thanks to the LORD for laying so firm a foundation for his Church so that we too might believe and encounter the love that transformed Nathanael. May that love send us forth so that we too might become supports for the Kingdom God is building in our midst.
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