Will you be found under the fig tree?

THE WORD AND THE SAINT 

August 24, 2020: Celebrating St. Bartholomew the Apostle

Revelations 21: 9-14; John 1:45-51

We celebrate today, St. Bartholomew, one of the 12 foundation stones, one of the 12 apostles rooted firm in Christ. Jesus gives him two compliments - one, that he was a person who had no guile in him and second, that Jesus saw him under the fig tree! The name that is given in the Gospel, Nathanael is equalised with the person of the apostle Bartholomew. Apart from that name, we have a context provided to us: sitting under the fig tree!

Sitting under the fig tree, had a very special significance in that context and Bartholomew is interested and curious how Jesus got to know about him and his tryst with truth.  Sitting under the fig tree would mean (as we see in Micah 4:4), meditating on the Word of God, reflecting on the things that God expects from oneself, and comprehending on the way one relates to his or her world. In the Indian tradition we have the images of enlightenment under a Bodhi tree and varied other parallels. 

The surprise for Bartholomew was more about the fact that Jesus has noted his sitting under the fig tree! That is, Jesus knew the search that was in Bartholomew's mind, the yearning he had for truth, the eagerness he had to meet the Christ of God. That was surprising for Bartholomew. Jesus is ready to surprise us, but the question is: are we ready to be surprised? 

Will Jesus find us under the fig tree? How much importance do I attach on a daily basis, to remain in sacred silence... or to reading the Word of God... or to meditating on the Word... or simply to remain in that disposition to connect to the Lord... that is why the question: when Jesus wishes to, will you be found under the fig tree?