Blameless Heart

Today’s Gospel Text: Philip found Nathan'a-el, and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 46 Nathan'a-el said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." 47 Jesus saw Nathan'a-el coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" 48 Nathan'a-el said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." 49 Nathan'a-el answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" 50 Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these." 51 And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." John 1:45-51

Reflection: It’s good to ask questions and enquire about a problem before arriving at decisions.

So often in life people arrive at decision making without asking relevant questions or they may ask the wrong kind of questions in order to arrive at wrong kind of knowledge.

But the one thing to be always kept in mind is the human limitations of arriving at the right answers always, especially when it comes to the truth of God.

In the Gospel we have Philip approaching Nathanael with a proposition:"We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." (vs. 45)

Philip had done his homework well, he knew the scriptures and knew the background of Jesus of Nazareth, as the son of Joseph. Perhaps he knew a little more than what he was revealing to Nathanael!

Nathanael had an equally relevant question to ask Philip, it was in every way a scriptural question, which may have flummoxed many an experts in Israel. 

The only difference may have been is this; that Nathanael may have asked this question in all sincerity without any guile: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (vs. 46)

It now seems clear that these were honest seekers, sincere in their approach. God never disappoints a sincere seeker, who is really interested in knowing the truth and following it.

According to the John’s Gospel, Nathanael seems to be the first to recognize Jesus as the ‘Son of God’ 

We too need to ask God for the same disposition of heart as Nathanael, whose feast we celebrate today.

Prayer: May my heart be blameless in thy statutes, that I may not be put to shame! Ps 119:80

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