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Gospel: John 1:43-51
Jesus decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip.
And Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”
Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter.Philip found Nathanael and told him,
“We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law,
and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”
But Nathanael said to him,
“Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
“Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him.”
Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
Nathanael answered him,
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this.”
And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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I’m sure we all have a favorite picture or family portrait hanging on a wall at home. Maybe it’s a picture from your wedding day; a photo of a family reunion; a picture of your pet.
Mine is an icon of Jesus.
I pray before it every morning before I leave the house to come celebrate Mass. His is the first face I see. It’s a picture I’ve had for a few years now, yet every time I see it is as if it’s the very first time.
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When looking at your favorite picture, one thing you might not think about is the nail behind the frame. Once that nail was driven into the wall and latched onto the frame, it was no longer visible. Naturally, we tend to forget about it.
But without that nail, the frame would slide off of the wall, shattering the glass all over the floor.
A nail, in that sense, serve two purposes: it brings two separate objects together – in this case it attaches a picture frame to a wall – and it provides enduring support, holding a frame up.
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In today’s Gospel, the Apostle Philip plays the role of a nail.
First, he brings his brother, Nathanael, to Jesus by inviting him to, “Come and see.” Then he provides enduring support for his brother on his journey of faith.
That’s what we’re all called to do – to invite people to, “come and see,” then provide enduring support along their faith journey.
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Think of yourself like a nail. It’s okay to be in the background. It’s okay to let something – or someone – else receive the attention. What matters most is that we bring people to Jesus.
Who might I invite today?
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Image credits: (1) (2) Christ Pantocrator, St. Catherine’s Monastery (3) Ancient Faith Blogs-Ancient Faith Ministries