Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Gospel Reading: John 1:43-51

Jesus decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him, "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 said of him, "Here is a true child of Israel.  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."  Jesus answered and said to him, "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 today’s gospel reading, Jesus again asks someone, “Follow me.”  Immediately Phillip surrenders his life to Christ and becomes a champion of the Lord.  His first act is to go out and herald the coming of the Lord and the fulfillment of the scriptures.  Phillip tells Nathanael that they have “found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets”.  This reading is deeply rooted in the Old Testament.  There are several references to the Old Testament which tell us that Jesus the Christ is the fulfillment of the prophecies.  Nathanael, called while sitting under the fig tree, knows that people will be “invite” others to join Christ from under their “fig tree” (Zech 3:10) during the messianic age.  This hope or calling becomes linked to the royal “branch” from the house of David which springs from the town of Nazareth.  Nathanael is able to connect the dots and realizes that Jesus is the Christ and Messiah promised in the Old Testament.  Jesus wants to know if Nathanael’s faith is based on the fulfillment of the Old Testament scriptures or based on his encounter.  We too are called from under the “fig tree” to “follow” Christ and encounter him.  What is it that compels us to follow him?  Is it the fulfillment of the Scriptures or the great miracles that he has conducted.  Or more importantly, is it an encounter with Christ where you have personally been called to “Follow me”.  Jesus could not be more right when he tells Nathanael that “you will see greater things than this”.  We must open our hearts and let Christ in.  When we do, we truly will see greater things than this.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, you have called me to follow you;

Give me the wisdom to see that you are the fulfillment of my hope;

Allow me to encounter you so that I can see greater things.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon