"Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him."
Nathanael might have been suspicious that Jesus was trying to win him over with flattery. But Jesus never praised anyone unless there was a solid basis for doing so. Nathanael probably wanted to believe that what was said of him was true, that his commitments and resolve were all for the sake of Israel. He didn't want there to be any duplicity between God's concern and plan for the people of Israel and his own priorities. But, though he wanted it, it was difficult to be so focused, and to have such absolute integrity. He was no doubt aware of the struggle against conflicting priorities within him. He was probably always aware of the fact that he might at any time choose an easier path and knew himself to be capable of doing so. Thus, when Jesus affirmed the deepest sense of who he himself desired to be, he wanted to believe it, but could not do so entirely.
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 saw in Nathanael someone who had vested his entire life and future hope on the coming of the messiah and the age when "they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree" (see Micah 4:4). Jesus was able to affirm the deepest hopes of Nathanael because he himself had come to fulfill them. Because he had come, Nathanael would be able to become the person he most desired to be. Nathanael realized that Jesus understood him at an even deeper level than he understood himself. Jesus comprehended all of his hopes and fears, and affirmed that in him he could find true fulfillment. Nathanael found in Jesus the answer to the question of his life's meaning and purpose.
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.
Nathanael had come to understand that Jesus was the promised messiah. But he did not as yet understand all that was entailed in that fact. Jesus was more than the one who would save Israel from its enemies. He was in himself the place where heaven met earth, the one who would rebuild the bridge between God and man that sin had shattered. Even in the time of Jacob there was some interpenetration of the earthly and heavenly realms. But in Jesus the doors would be blown wide open. It is for this reason that we are now able to be close, not only to Jesus, but to his angels and his saints. It is for this reason that we celebrate the feast of the archangels, since we see that Jesus himself is the ladder that is a nexus for their activity, and it is in order to minister to him that they act for our sakes on earth.
The huge dragon, the ancient serpent,
who is called the Devil and Satan,
who deceived the whole world,
was thrown down to earth,
and its angels were thrown down with it.
We see in the book of Revelation that God sometimes chooses to act through angels as intermediaries. Even the defeat of the Devil was something he brought about through Michael, though we might have expected him to reserve the privilege to himself. But that he did so both affirms the greatness of the role of the angels shows us how the Devil was never in competition with him to begin with. It is a reminder of who is ultimately in charge. But it is also an implicit suggestion of where we ought to turn for help when we fight our own battles "against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (see Ephesians 6:12). Michael may once have told the armies of Israel that he was not on the side of anyone but that of the Lord (see Joshua 5:13-15). But that means that he is on the side of Jesus, and so, provided we are as well, on our side too.
In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
We one day hope to join the angels around the throne in singing the praises of the Lord. But really, we needn't wait. This describes the reality that happens at every mass. May we realize it and join in with our whole hearts.
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