SAINT BARTHOLOMEW, APOSTLE (FEAST)

Come and see.

Nathanael was not going to be duped. The promise of the long-expected Messiah was too important for him to be led astray by false claims. He was especially skeptical when he heard that Jesus was from an insignificant village like Nazareth (John 1:46).

So when Philip told Nathanael that Jesus was the Messiah, Nathanael was doubtful. But rather than trying to convince his friend, Philip simply said, “Come and see” (John 1:46). Nathanael, whom the Church identifies as Bartholomew and whose feast we celebrate today, accepted Philip’s invitation. And when he met Jesus, his heart was set on fire. Jesus really was the Messiah he had been longing for!

Of course, this was just the beginning of Nathanael’s journey. Through multiple encounters, he became not only a faithful disciple but also one of the Twelve. According to tradition, after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, Nathanael went to India, Armenia, and possibly as far as Azerbaijan to preach the good news. We don’t know what words he used, but we can imagine him relying on the same approach that Philip had used with him: inviting people to encounter Jesus so that they could understand for themselves who he is.

Who invited you to “come and see” Jesus? We can often trace our initial encounter with the Lord back to someone—or multiple people—who urged us to discover the Messiah for ourselves. And as followers of Jesus, we can do the same for other people.

How? Perhaps you could ask someone to come to a parish Bible study or to Adoration or Mass. Or you could give them a spiritual book that has meant a lot to you. Maybe it will take more than one invitation or more than one point of contact before they encounter Jesus in a personal way. But remember, you’re not responsible for what happens next. Once they’ve accepted your invitation, Jesus will reveal himself to them and speak to their hearts in his own time and way.

So whom will you invite to encounter the Lord today?

“Jesus, open my eyes to all the ways I can invite people to ‘come and see’ you.”

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