We Have Found the One

We Have Found the One

Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop

Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.  Now, this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before him in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God.  1 John 3:18-21

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.”  John 1:45-46

Piety

The invitation sounds so easy: “Come and follow.”  However, we desperately need your love and support to put love into action, in deed and in truth. Be with us and give us the strength needed for this "harsh and dreadful love." Take from out of my comfort zone.  Help me to accept the challenge presented by the encounter I have with you today.  Guide my attitude and action as I respond with my whole heart to the call-in words, in deeds, and in truth.  Amen.

Study

Nathanael's initial reaction to what Philip reported to him was, shall we say, less than apostolic.  “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”  Lowly, simple, dirty, evil Nazareth.  Backwater Nazareth.  The sticks.  It's almost as if Nazareth was the joke-of-the day city like we sometimes picture Cleveland/New Jersey/The Swamp of Washington, DC/Fill-in-the-Blank.

Nathanael is prepared to dismiss Phillip without even hearing him out.  He would prefer to maintain the status quo of his stereotypes.  Because if not, he will have to change.  The world that he knows is bound to change once he is open to the encounter that is about to occur.  His skepticism attempts to guard him against coming out of his comfort zone to encounter Jesus.  In the end, he makes the decision to accept the challenge of the action required after this "epiphany."

Phillip does not try to convince him in words. He encourages his brother to come and see for himself.  Experiential change is easier to accept than just hearing the message.

Nathanial cannot avoid the message because the Jesus depicted today is a stalker. He is hunting down the men who are targeted to be his First Disciples. These men did not seek out Jesus. Jesus sought them out or others called on them to encounter the living God.

To Andrew and John, Jesus says: “Come and you will see [where I dwell].”

To Peter, he says, “You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas.”

To Philip, we learn that Jesus decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip.

To Nathanial, Jesus said, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”

We also see the first acts of evangelization by these First Disciples. People start introducing others to Jesus. Andrew goes to introduce his brother to Jesus. Philip calls on Nathaniel.

Action

Can anything good come from Fairfax?  Or Sioux Falls, South Dakota? Or Muncie, Indiana?  Or Sugar Land, Texas? Can anything good come out of Washington or Wall Street?  Or Hollywood? Or the Gaza Strip?  Or Baghdad?  Or Pittsburgh?

Like Nathanael, what good will we do we do AFTER we encounter Jesus?  That is what the Christmas encounter is all about.  Mary did not stop with her yes.  She lived that “Yes” every day from the Annunciation to the Assumption and beyond. Nathaniel did not stop.  

The Fourth Day is about not stopping.