Part 1
Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 13: Year 2
Psalms[83] or 145, 85, 86; Judges 8:22-35; Acts 4:1-12; John 1:43-51
“Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ (John 1: 48 – 49)
I would surely like to know what Nathanael was experiencing under the fig tree such that it made him realize that Jesus was truly the Son of God! We don’t get to know what was going on with Nathanael, I ponder if he was praying, or having a nervous breakdown, or some mystical experience where in God gave him some kind of revelation. Nathanael follows Jesus as a result of his friend Philip coming to get him.
Jesus calls 7 of the Apostles: Simon and Andrew (Matthew 4:18 – 20), John and James – (Matthew 4: 21 – 22) Matthew himself (AKA Levi) (Matthew 9:9), Philip ( John 1:43) Nathaniel, from above (John 1: 50 – 51) Then there is one who Jesus called but who rejected Jesus’ call: the Rich young man: (Mark 10:21 -22) However, of all whom he called, Simon Peter, John and James seem to be the chosen three who went with him in the deepest sense of his work: the healing of Jairus’ daughter, the Transfiguration (which I will say more about in part 2 of today’s blog) and his passion prayer on the night he was arrested in which these three could not stay awake.
Part 2
Today is the Day of the Transfiguration: Eucharistic Readings for the Transfiguration
Exodus 34:29-35; Psalm 99: 2 Peter 1:13-21; Luke 9:28-36
“Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.” (Luke 9:28)
As mentioned in part one, it was Peter, John and James who Jesus selected to be in his inner circle when serious holiness was to take place. Twelve might be too big a number, especially given that one (Judas) betrayed him. I know it makes a twelve-tribes kind of sense, but perhaps that’s just us trying to balance things in light of the Hebrew testament. In any case, it seems to be that where two or three of us are joined together in His Name, our Lord Jesus is with us. That’s serious holiness for us today.
Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do. John
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