Feast of Saint
Bartholomew, apostle
(Revelation 21:9b-14; John 1:45-51)
How is it that on the Feast of St. Bartholomew, apostle, we
hear a gospel story about Nathanael? It
is not an oversight. On the lists of
apostles in the gospels according to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the name Bartholomew always appears paired with
Philip. In John’s gospel, which makes no
mention of a Bartholomew, Nathanael appears
as a friend of Philip. The Church,
therefore, has assumed that Nathanael
and Bartholomew are the same
person. Also, Bartholomew may be a
surname since bar in Hebrew means son of. Perhaps then the celebration today is more
properly the Feast of St. Nathanael Bartholomew!
As interesting as the apostle’s name may be, we commemorate
him today for something more. In today’s
gospel he proclaims Jesus “the Son of God (and) King of Israel.” At the end of John’s gospel Thomas calls
Jesus “my Lord and my God.” But he will
have the advantage of seeing him after the resurrection. Nathanael’s insight into Jesus’ identity comes
from his being, as Jesus says, “a true child of Israel.” This means that he has
faithfully waited for the Lord to send his servant for the redemption of His
people. Now the Messiah is here, as Nathanael
says, the Son and King.
As St. Nathaniel Bartholomew and all true Israelites waited
for the Messiah’s coming, we and all true Christians wait for his return. We yearn for him to tell us secrets about
ourselves as he does about Nathanael in the gospel today. After two millennia we would feel frustrated if
there were no evidence that he is close at hand. But such testimony is available. Jesus is
present to us in word and sacrament.
Attentive to these, we discover who we are and where we are destined.
