Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?” And Jesus said to him, “Before Philip called you, you were under the fig tree, and I saw you.”
Nathanael answered, “Master, you are the Son of God! You are the king of Israel!”
But Jesus replied, “You believe because I said, ‘I saw you under the fig tree.’ But you will see greater things than that.
Truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
REFLECTION:
Jesus finds in Nathanael the purity and honesty of the Jewish faith.
There is enormous promise and potential in the relationship God forged with the Old Testament people,
particularly the Israelites. But, God wants His relationship with His people not stuck in signs
and sacred spaces like the one provided by the fig tree. God wants us to go deep into His person,
mission, and the people we ignore or deem having a wrong religion. Jesus wants Nathanael not just to be a true Israelite.
Likewise, Jesus wants us not just to be a true Catholic or Muslim or Hindu. There is true and great good in every religion.
But all of us, in diverse faith, can live together in our deep knowledge of God.
He fully reveals Himself in Jesus Christ, but He wants us to widen our welcoming embrace to all those who have to know Him yet.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2020
