San Bartolomeo, Saint of the day for 24 August

Da Paolo Tessione - August 24, 2020

(n. XNUMXst century)

The story of San Bartolomeo
In the New Testament, Bartholomew is mentioned only in the lists of the apostles. Some scholars identify him with Nathanael, a man from Cana in Galilee who was summoned to Jesus by Philip. Jesus paid him a great compliment: “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him ”(John 1: 47b). When Nathanael asked how Jesus knew him, Jesus said, "I saw you under the fig tree" (John 1: 48b). Whatever the startling revelation this involved led Nathanael to exclaim: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel "(John 1: 49b). But Jesus replied: “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this ”(John 1: 50b).

Nathanael saw greater things. He was one of those to whom Jesus appeared on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias after his resurrection (see John 21: 1-14). They had fished all night without success. In the morning, they saw someone standing on the shore even though no one knew it was Jesus. He told them to cast the net again and they got such a big catch that they couldn't pull the net. Then John cried out to Peter: "It is the Lord".

When they brought the boat ashore, they found a burning fire, with fish lying on it and bread. Jesus asked them to bring some of the fish they had caught and invited them to come and eat their meal. John relates that although they knew it was Jesus, none of the apostles presumed to ask who he was. This, John notes, was the third time that Jesus appeared to the apostles.

Reflection
Bartholomew or Nathanael? We are again faced with the fact that we know almost nothing about most of the apostles. Yet those unknown were also foundation stones, the 12 pillars of the new Israel whose 12 tribes now comprise the entire earth. Their personalities were secondary, without being humiliated, to their great office of bringing tradition from their first hand experience, speaking in the name of Jesus, putting the Word made flesh into human words for the enlightenment of the world. Their holiness was not an introverted contemplation of their status before God. It was a gift they had to share with others. The good news is that all are called to the holiness of being a member of Christ, by God's gift of grace.

The simple fact is that humanity is totally meaningless unless God is its total concern. Then humanity, made holy by God's own holiness, becomes God's most precious creation.