The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, August 24, 2006
Thursday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Bartholomew, apostle

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Revelation 21:9b-14
Psalm 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18
John 1:45-51

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

The gospel of today reminds us that Jesus knows us inside and out, at all times. We hear again the intriguing overview of Philip finding Nathanael (also known as Bartholomew) and taking him to meet Jesus. Jesus related that he knew Nathanael had been sitting under a certain tree. That must have impressed him! The statement that might catch our attention today, however, is that Christ said of Nathanael, "There is no duplicity in him.” Could Christ say that of each of us?

Needless to say, these are difficult and trying times in which we live. Though God created the world, and all that is in it, and saw that it was good, humans have had much time to demonstrate our stewardship on the earth. We know much of the world and the people in it are still "good,” but that there are many temptations, much evil. Do we lead a “double life” in that we let ourselves be swayed by some of these temptations, or are we a strong, constant follower of Christ and all His teachings? Again, would Christ say of each of us, "There is no duplicity in him”? (John 1:47)

- Joan of Jesus, OCDS
(jmurphy at utica dot edu)