August 24, 2019: Remembering St. Bartholomew, the Apostle.
Revelations 21: 9-14; John 1: 45-51
Known in the Gospel of St.John with the name Nathanael, Bartholomew received from the Lord a great compliment. A man in whom there is no guile, says the Lord. Though he did not believe what Phillip said and originally did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, Jesus recognises the goodness in him. The readings today have three lessons to teach:
One, the readiness of Jesus to appreciate the goodness in a person even when the person did not believe in him. How many times friends turn the worst enemies when they begin to disagree with each other!
Second lesson is from Bartholomew, who accepts the call to 'come and see' and goes, sees, believes and remains with the Lord.
The third lesson is from the feast itself - a remembrance of the Apostles is a special invitation to each of us to recognise the call we have received to to go into the world and proclaim God's Reign.
Bartholomew took the Gospel right upto Armenia and Arabia. There exists a legend that Bartholomew reached even India's western borders! Each of us is reminded today of our call to bear the goodnews to the ends of the world, to establish the Reign of God - beginning with the closest of our contexts - that is, right wherever we are!