Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to saint
John 1, 45–51
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 heaven opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
You will see greater things
1. We have found. Philip takes a missionary attitude by telling others that he has found Jesus. He shows his friend who Jesus is. This is the spirit of being a missionary; it is not necessary to announce Jesus in so many words, but rather, it implies demonstrating with attitudes the freshness of the Gospel. This can be in the way we treat others, in the way we say things, even in small gestures of kindness such as setting the table or clearing the dishes without being asked to do so. If you have found inner peace in Jesus, please go out and announce it person to person, because there are many Nathanael’s out there. But do not grab a loudspeaker and go out, no. Evangelization today is not about crowds, it is person to person, cell phone to cell phone. Go out and proclaim that you have found God, with a simple smile or an honest hug and small gestures of love. How are you showing that you have found Jesus in your life?
2. I saw you. It is wonderful to know that you are part of God’s thoughts. He thinks, and has always thought about you because you are very important to Him. Jesus knows everything about you, just as He knew Nathanael. You are a valuable person! You have a life story and your identity; you have the capacity to think and decide. You have been granted the greatness of freedom and the gift of being a child of God. Today, God is presenting you with a different challenge; a path that implies that you work for His kingdom, but knowing who you are. God chose you so that you could help Him reach many people. God has chosen you, just as you are.
3. You will see greater things. I can assure you that if you get into the field of evangelization, you will see and experience beautiful things. I remember a time when I went up to the hills of Tucuman (in the North of Argentina) to celebrate mass. After mass, a lady wanted to kiss my hands because they were (she said) “Christ’s hands”. I wouldn’t let her, and she scolded me saying “I’m not kissing you; I’m kissing the Lord who is in you”; that was something tremendous for me.
How about if today you think of a beautiful moment or situation that you have lived since you got involved in the things of God. Try and remember. It’s so good to be aware of those moments.
Remember that something good is on the way!
God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
