Click here for today’s Scripture readings.
Revelation 21:9-14
John 1:45-51
Today is the Feast of St. Bartholomew, also known as Nathaniel in John’s Gospel, and today we have the brief story of his first encounter with Jesus as he accompanied his friend Philip. Upon seeing him, Jesus remarked that he was a man with no guile in him.
That’s a pretty strong compliment. Webster defines guile as crafty; deceitful talk or conduct; cunning. Apparently Jesus recognized in Nathaniel/Bartholomew a stance of honesty and genuineness. In today’s parlance, Jesus might have said of Bartholomew ‘what you see is what you get.’
As I reflected on the Gospel selection, I found myself wondering if Jesus would say that I was a man without guile. As I pondered that, I found it to be a sobering experience. I’d like to think that I am always truthful; that I avoid manipulative behavior in order to get my way and that I always temper my dialog with genuine charity. I do try, but, truth be told, sometimes I fall short because I fear not being liked.
Perhaps as we celebrate St. Bartholomew today we are being asked to reflect on our own stance in life; to call to mind those times when we were less than honest and behaved in a cunning or crafty way; times when we may have woven a manipulative web or told one of those ‘little white lies’ that have the potential to do serious harm. Let us bring those incidents to mind and confess them to our loving God and resolve to amend those behaviors. Let us pray to St. Bartholomew for receptivity to the grace of guilelessness so that Jesus might say of us, ‘here are true Christians; there is no guile in them!”
- Brother Gus Parlavechio, C.P.
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