by Jose Kurian Puliyeril

Devotional thoughts for 2nd Sunday after Denaha

Reading: St. John 1:43-51

The description of the way in which our Lord called 2-3 disciples and His discourse with Nathaniel, a Jewish scholar is the contents and the theme of today’s reading.

Last week we heard the explanation of St. Matthew, the way in which our Lord called St. Peter and his brother St. Andrews. Today we are listening to the explanation of St. John where he tells about St. Andrews who brings his brother St. Peter to our Lord Jesus Christ. When we hear the introduction about our Lord by St. Andrews to St. Peter and St. Philip to Nathaniel, we could find a similarity in those introductions. In the 41st verse we read “we have seen Messiah the Christ, as said by St. Andrews to St. Peter. In the 45th verse we read “we have found him of whom Moses in the law and the Prophets did write”, as said by St. Philip.

One who will search will only find. That is why these statements are very important. They belonged to a group which had engaged in searching the ‘Savior of the mankind”. It makes clear that the disciples as a whole, though illiterate were belonging to a team of blessed people who longed and waited for the arrival of the savior. Though the Apostles belonged to the fishermen community, they had a great honor and wealth, which many who occupied social status and rich positions could not claim to have. They had the rare wealth of waiting for the savior with true expectation. It is sure that they knew the prophecies in Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, 40:10, and 50:6. Jeremiah 23:5, 33:14-15, Ezekiel L 34:23, Micah 5:2, Zechariah 6:2, 9:9, Malachi 3:1.Nathaniel also had this blessedness and that is why he could confess “Rabbi, you are the son of God and you are the king of Israel (as mentioned in 49th verse)

We could differentiate the ways in which many might see our Lord God. For example in verse 45 we read the description of St. Philip based on his knowledge from the conversations of others. So he could see our Lord as the son of Joseph of Nazareth. But in verse 49 we read Nathaniel’s statement “thou art the son of God, and thou art the king of Israel.” How great is the statement of Nathaniel? Who is Lord Jesus for me and you, who have tasted him several times? It is a topic of urgent attention. Our Lord needs an answer to such a question only. He might be expecting an answer either “My Lord and My God” or “My savior, Lord and God”. Lord Jesus is waiting to hear such an answer from us all. When our bodies and minds are in full good health, we must try our best to give such an answer. Let us try to answer Him avoiding all sorts of our selfish thoughts and desires.