Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle

Tradition identifies Bartholomew as Nathanael in the Gospel of John, and, on his feast day, we read the account of Jesus’ and Nathanael’s first encounter in which Nathanael’s character is revealed. Although he is skeptical, Nathanael surrenders to his friend Philip’s invitation to “Come and see” (John 1:46), and, when Jesus spots Nathanael coming toward him, he says, “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him” (John 1: 47). Jesus knows that Nathanael is an honest man with pure intentions, and when Nathanael asks Jesus how he knows him, Jesus responds, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you” (1:48). Jesus realizes that Nathanael devotes his time to prayer and reflection. Nathanael realizes that Jesus is the one about whom Moses wrote, and exclaims: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel” (John 1:49).