Saturday, February 28, 2009

Lenten devotional 2-28-09

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February 28th
John 1: 43-51

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, 'Follow me.' Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 'We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.' Nathanael said to him, 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him, 'Come and see.' When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, 'Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!' Nathanael asked him, 'Where did you come to know me?' Jesus answered, 'I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.' Nathanael replied, 'Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!' Jesus answered, 'Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.' And he said to him, 'Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.'

It is interesting to note that we only know of Nathanael from a mere half dozen references in John's gospel. He appears nowhere else in the New Testament. Likewise, the character of Philip is drawn in far greater detail here than in any other gospel. Even so, their story can be so meaningful for us today. Whereas in yesterday's reading Simon and another disciple were directed to Jesus by John, in this account it is Jesus himself who specifically chooses first Nathanael, then Philip to be among his followers.

Now if some itinerant teacher came up to say he was choosing you, chances are you'd back away quickly. Or else the guy would need to have a pretty fast sales pitch. But finding themselves in the radiant presence of the Christ, they didn't back off, resist, or put up a struggle. Their hearts must have been open to the sublime spirituality and intense compassion which they felt in the man Jesus.

This kind of meekness or submission is far and away more dynamic than the ordinary definition of the term. Through meekness and receptivity to the Christ spirit we can open ourselves up, be renewed, regenerated, uplifted, and in possession of a more divine consciousness.
Discerning yet another of the divine qualities to live out in our lives, we can continue on in our individual Lenten journeys.

Meditation: O God, we wait for Your loving kindness by day and for the harmony of Your words to uplift us each night. (Ps. 42) tr

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