Bible
Study: Revelation 21, 9 to 14 and John 1, 45 to 51.
If you
suddenly discovered a new application that allows you to do more that you could
ever imagine with your phone, would you keep it to yourself? Or let’s say, you
discover a new business opportunity, would you have sealed lips about it, especially,
when you know that the more people you tell about the business, the richer you
become?
There are
three reasons why we would know something and do everything to keep it to
ourselves; one, it could be we are not sure if it is true or not. So we wouldn’t
want to say it out and be referred to a liars later on. Secondly, it could be
that we do not consider the person worthy of hearing what we have just
discovered. Thirdly, it could be that we do not see any benefit in it and we do
not think it would benefit anyone else either.
Today, we
celebrate the feast of St. Bartholomew, otherwise known as Nathanael. A man
whom Philip shared the news of having discovered Jesus of Nazareth. Bartho (for
short) would never have known Jesus if Philip had not personally introduced
him. Even though it is not Philip we are celebrating today, there is need for
us to highlight and reflect on the action of Philip.
The question
is: Why do I find it very difficult to talk about Jesus to others? To my
colleagues at work, to the stranger I find on the street, to the man I happen
to share a bus ride with, to my best friend, to my family members? How come I would
rather talk about a thousand and one things but carefully leave out Jesus?
How come
the best evangelism I do is to introduce people to my church or to my pastor
rather than to Jesus himself? How come I believe more in seeing the number of
people in my church increase than in actually seeing them begin to live
authentic Christian lives.
How come
the only time I invite people to church is to join me raise funds for harvest
or for my thanksgiving or for one ceremony or another that would involve them
donating for one project or another?
Am I really
convinced about my Christian faith? Am I convinced that knowing Jesus is the
greatest treasure anyone can possibly find? Could this be the reason why I am
often sealed lips regarding introducing people to Jesus?
Bartho on
his part did not hide his deep seated convictions regarding Nazareth as a
whole. “Can anything good come out of that town?” Without mincing words, this
statement must have been very discouraging. When I try to talk about Jesus to
others, I should not expect that they would accept what I have to say hook,
line and sinker. I would be a dreamer to assume that they would immediately say
“Yes, Yes, Yes, I believe.”
When you
tell people about something new, their first reaction is usually negative. Negative
because it is a natural human tendency to suspect that which you don’t know
anything about. Negative also because of the lies you must have probably told
them in the past. Negative too, because of the manner you present it or perhaps
because there is not much passion in you.
Imagine a native
doctor who appears wretched, poor and sickly coming out in a busy market
advertising a product that he calls the ultimate secret to wealth. Funny? Right.
If he knows how to be rich, then why is he still poor? Who is he trying to
fool?
Philip wasn’t
discouraged by Bartho’s reaction. He didn’t right him off. Instead he said: “Come
and see.” When Bartho eventually became an Apostle himself, he must have
remembered this experience many times and used the same strategy in spreading
the Good News.
Bartho was
touched merely by the fact that Jesus saw him under the fig tree. He was
convinced immediately that only a Son of God could have known he was under a
fig tree at that time. What was he doing under the fig tree? Could it be that
Jesus was saying: “Young man, I know your secret oh.” Anyway, we would not be
celebrating him today if he did not stick to Jesus and remain with him to
death.
The way
and manner we become converted vary. Some people’s conversion were rather
dramatic, some not so. The “how” is not so important. What matters is that at
some point in our lives, we become true Christians, true followers of Jesus and
fully convinced about Jesus. And one way we know we are converted is when we
stopped being shy about spreading the Good News.
Let us
pray:
Lord
Jesus, use me as your instrument of salvation. Amen. St. Bartholomew, pray
for us.
Good morning.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you.
Fr. Abu
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