Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 13: Year 2
Morning, Psalm 145; Evening, Psalms 85 and 86;
Judges 8:22 to 35; Acts 4:1 to 12; John 1:43 to 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 wonder, ponder, if he was praying, or having a nervous breakdown, or some mystical experience wherein God gave him some kind of revelation. Nathanael follows Jesus as a result of his friend Philip coming to get him.
Jesus is recorded as calling only 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). While we have 12 Apostles, only these 7 are actually recorded in our Gospel accounts 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 we remember today: details below): and these three were also present at his passion prayer on the night he was arrested in which these three could also not stay awake.
For some of us, Jesus comes to get us. For many of us, a friend brings us to Jesus. But the lesson here is that our Lord Jesus already knows, “the trouble we’ve seen.” Jesus meets us under our own vine and fig tree, for He truly is “Rabbi, or Teacher, the Son of the living God!” Ponder about this.
Today we remember the Transfiguration and information regarding it may be found at: Feast of the Transfiguration.
Let us pray:
Most Holy Lord Jesus, you know us better than we know ourselves and love us more than we love ourselves. We need you today more than most of us realize and yet your patience is everlasting. Be in our Communal bread crumbs each week and lead us to you each week, closer and closer, as Nathanael followed Philip, so that we too will see you as our ultimate Teacher and Savior of the world, Amen
onewhoponders 