THE WORD
1 Jn 3,11-21 / Jn 1,43-51
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee, he found Philip. And Jesus said, 'Follow me.' Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. 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 he said of him, 'Here is a true Israelite. 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.' 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 the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. "'
IN OTHER WORDS
Meeting a kababayan in Vienna, Austria, I was asked: "Filipino?" "Opo, Sir," I replied. "Taga saan ka sa atin? " (From where are you in the Philippines?) I said, "From Cabanatuan." Aware that he looked perplexed and seemed to have no idea where to locate the place exactly in the Philippines, I helped him saying: "That's the name of the village where my mother comes from. It is located in the town of San Fernando in the island of Cebu." "Ah, probinsiyano at taga barrio ka pala!" (Ah, so you are a country boy). He said so with a tone and gesture of arrogance on his face.
"Opo, tama po kayo, Sir," I replied (Yes, sir, you're right.)
"From Nazareth?" said Nathanael after being told of Jesus' place of origin. And this Jesus was supposed to be the one foretold by Moses and the Prophets to be the promised Messiah, the Savior of Israel? Showing his disgust more precisely, he said, "Can anything good come from that place?"' I don't know how anybody would feel and react upon hearing such derogatory remarks. Jesus reacted sovereignly. He found positive things to say about Nathaniel and called him a true Israelite, "incapable of deceit." Later, he even promised him greater things.
Christianity is about God in Jesus calling us to his fellowship. He needs helpers among us to spread his message of love and mercy to all. It's not important if we have doubts and reservations of feeling being unworthy to be called to serve. Jesus calls the shots We only have to reply positively to his invitation. Nathaniel had massive doubts, but he followed Jesus. And Jesus showed him more than he could ever imagine.
- Fr. Roberto C. Alda, Jr. SVD (Goch am Niederrhein, Germany)
The Word in other words 2017
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
