CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME FROM NAZARETH?
Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle
My dear encountered couples:
Nathanael, whom we know as Bartholomew the Apostle, is honored today. He is interesting. Seems like he possessed some prejudice against people who lived in Nazareth as many of the Jews did in those days “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” he asked when Philip told him about Jesus. Nazareth was considered to be Hicksville. He generalized the reputation of the people of Nazareth and applied it to everyone from there. Prejudice does that. It blinds us from seeing the good that exists in everyone.
But unlike some prejudiced people, Nathanael was not beyond changing his opinion. Jesus praised him for being honest: “This man is a real Israelite. There is no guile in him.”
Looking up that strange word, I find it means one who deceives, one who is treacherous and cunning. Nathanael, or Bartholomew, possessed no deceit. He was an open and honest man. Because of these qualities, he was able to see the good in Jesus and accept it.
Bartholomew became an apostle and a saint because he was open to receive any good offered by God. We should follow his example, be aware of any prejudiced opinions we possess concerning God or anyone, and recognize and accept truth and fact when we see it. Not everyone does.
May Bartholomew help us to do so!
