Reflect today on how free you are from guile and duplicity

Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him and said of him: “Here is a true son 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 “. John 1: 47-49

When you first read this passage, you may find yourself needing to go back and read it again. It's easy to read it and think you've missed something. How is it possible that Jesus simply told Nathanael (also called Bartholomew) that he saw him sitting under the fig tree and this was enough for Nathanael to answer: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel “. It is easy to be confused as to how Nathanael could have jumped to such a conclusion from the words Jesus said about him.

But notice how Jesus described Nathanael. He was one without "duplicity". Other translations say he had "no fraud". What does it mean?

If one has duplicity or cunning, it means that he has two faces and cunning. They are skilled in the art of deception. This is a dangerous and deadly quality to have. But to say the opposite, that one has "no duplicity" or "no cunning" is a way of saying that they are honest, direct, sincere, transparent and real.

As for Nathanael, he was one who spoke freely of what he thought. In this case, it wasn't so much that Jesus had presented some form of compelling intellectual argument about his divinity, he said nothing about it. Instead, what happened was that this good virtue of Nathanael, of being without duplicity, allowed him to look at Jesus and realize that He is "the real deal." Nathanael's good habit of being honest, sincere, and transparent allowed him not only to reveal who Jesus is, but also allowed Nathanael to see others more clearly and honestly. And this quality was of great benefit to him when he saw Jesus for the first time and was able to immediately understand the greatness of who He is.

Reflect today on how free you are from guile and duplicity. Are you also a person of great honesty, sincerity and transparency? Are you the real deal? Living this way is the only good way to live. It is a life lived in truth. Pray that God will help you to grow in this virtue today through the intercession of St. Bartholomew.

Lord, help me free myself from duplicity and cunning. Help me to be a person of honesty, integrity and sincerity. Thanks for the example of San Bartolomeo. Give me the grace I need to imitate his virtues. Jesus I believe in you.