Revelations 21:9-14, Psalm 145:10-13, 17-18, John 1:45-51

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

 

Rabbi, you are the Son of God,;

you are the King of Israel. Jn. 1:45b

 

FEAST OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW, APOSTLE

 

Revelations 21:9-14, Psalm 145:10-13, 17-18, John 1:45-51

 

 

Revelations 21:9-14

 

My soul's beloved, in this beautiful passage written by St. John the evangelist, he gives us a beautiful description of the Church born of the Holy Spirit and Your Bride. High on the mountain above all the grime and noise of the city where the air is pure, God dwells with all those who belong to Him, those who embrace His will in all things and have found in Him their joy and peace. To those who dwell with God in the Church that You have founded in the City which the evangelist describes as gleaming with the splendor of God, with the radiance of the most precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal dazzling in the Light that is shed upon her by her Bridegroom.  Here there is a wall so that no one who does not belong can enter - one enters only through the waters of baptism and through the narrow gate. It is here that the old and the new are emblazoned - the twelve tribes of the children of Israel chosen by God through Moses and the names of the twelve Apostles that were chosen by You with the Father. You did not pick the twelve for any extraordinary qualities that they possessed instead You chose them because You would make of men the world would certainly reject for high ranking places of world affairs, and make them fishers of men. You would deem them worthy of carrying out Your mission in the world of spreading the Good News to the ends of the earth.

 

Psalm 145:10-13, 17-18

 

My soul's beloved You no longer call us servants but friends. We are collaborators in the establishing of Your Kingdom on earth. All creation pays homage to You and gives thanks to God for You. They speak of You - the wind, the trees, the grass, the birds, the sky, the clouds - all nature sings a glorious hymn of praise as they reveal something of Your power, grandeur, and beauty.  God came to earth becoming one like us in order that You might share with us Your knowledge of the Father and the splendor of the place that God has prepared for us in the Kingdom. We are called Your faithful, because through grace, every day, we strive to live by the great commandment that You have given us, striving to know You with the help of Your Spirit and making You known from one generation to the next. Thank You my soul's beloved for remaining close to all who call upon You. Thank You for not judging as man does but for looking at our hearts and in Your tenderness picking us, choosing us, and granting us a place beside You in Your Kingdom.  

 

John 1:45-51

 

My soul's beloved, make me like Philip who did not miss any opportunity of bringing people to knowledge of You. Here he tells his friend Nathanael or Bartholomew of You. He has discovered the Truth that You revealed in Your Person that You were the fulfillment of the law of Moses and all the prophets, You the son of Joseph, from Nazareth. He did not reject You because Your father was a carpenter rather he looked at You and believed and he was excited about bringing those whom he knew to come to know You as well. Nathanael was prejudiced at first as most of us are. Nazareth was an insignificant place and nothing extraordinary or spectacular was expected to come from it. But Philip would not take no for an answer. He urged him to "Come and see." Nathanael allowed himself to be persuaded by his friend and he was not disappointed. You saw him from a distance and You knew him and when Nathanael discovered this he believed and made his own declaration of faith, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel."

 

However, You advised him not to make snap judgments but to look for the greater revelations that he would be privileged to witness.

 

 “Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

 

Thank You my soul's beloved of the same hope that I possess - the hope of the Apostles of perfect union with You in Your Kingdom.