HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW THE APOSTLE
THEME: ‘I tell you most solemnly, you will see heaven laid open and, above the Son of Man, the angels of God ascending and descending.’
BY: Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA
HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24 2022
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Apocalypse 21:9-14
Psalm 144:10-13a,17-18
John 1:45-51
*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
WHITE
*INTRODUCTION*
Dear brothers and sisters, today, the Church in a special way, celebrates the feast of Saint Bartholomew. Scripture scholars believe that Bartholomew and Nathaniel are the same person. Bartholomew was his family name, meaning “son of Tolmai.” It appears that he was friends with Philip who invited (found) him and told him about Jesus. His immediate and spontaneous response was skepticism: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Luckily for Nathanael, Philip dismissed his initial disbelief and told him to “Come and see.” What Nathanael “saw” would change the course of his life forever.
*WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THE FEAST OF TODAY?*
Dear Friends,todays feast is a reminder to us that the Lord is always generous in his way of perceiving us. Even when we are less than generous towards him, he remains generous towards us. The Lord’s generous vision of Nathanael changed Nathanael in some way. From initially dismissing Jesus, he went on to confess him as the Son of God and King of Israel. Jesus’ generous vision of Nathanael brought out the best in him, and can bring out the best in us. In a similar way, when we are generous in our way of seeing and relating to others, we too can help bring out the best in them. That is our calling as followers of the Lord who is full of grace and truth.
*CONCLUSION*
After Jesus revealed that he knew Nathanel, Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” This is the first recorded confession of belief in Jesus as the Son of God and Savior. His profession of faith propelled him into instant discipleship, giving his words an intrinsic and dynamic value. He would go on to become a witness to the resurrected Christ and the Ascension. The Church’s tradition claims that Nathanael evangelized northern India and was crucified upside down in Albania as an act of humility.
*LET US PRAY*
Lord Jesus, like the apostle Nathanael, grant me a sincere and humble heart that is open to receiving your word and the invitation to be your disciple. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen