Homily
for August 24, 2017
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 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?
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.”
Philip
wasn’t discouraged by Bartho’s reaction. He didn’t write 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.
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.
Be Happy.
Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Feast of St. Bartholomew, Apostle. Bible
Study: Revelation 21:9-14 and John 1:45-51).
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