Faith Daily | 24 August 2022

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p574

Creator God,

you have made us for yourself,

and our hearts are restless

until they find their rest in you:

teach us to offer ourselves to your service,

that here we may have your peace,

and in the world to come may see you face to face;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

GOSPEL for the Day: John 1: 45-51 FOR BARTHOLOMEW, APOSTLE & MARTYR

45Philip 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.” 46Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” 48Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” 51And 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.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Cheryl Courtice

“We have found him… Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Come and see.”

Have you every made a decision or discovery about something or someone and then excitedly tried to share it, only to be rebuffed with cynicism, scepticism and “I have serious doubts about that”?

This can leave me feeling deflated…or…it can leave me feeling quietly confident. “The proof is in the pudding”. If I know that I am onto a good thing, I can use “Come and see” or I might refer to use “wait and see”.

William Barclay tells us that “not very many people have ever been argued into Christianity. Often our arguments do more harm than good.”

Knowing Christ ourselves lets us invite others to come and see, wait and see, watch and see. I love the quote “preach the Gospel at all times, if necessary use words.”

Our quiet confidence can generate curiosity so that as Swiss theologian F.L. Godet said: “One lighted torch serves to light another”.

May I continue to explore ways in which I can go on growing in the life that Jesus shares with me, so that I can become a sign of life and hope in our world. (Adapted from Rowen Williams, Becoming Disciples.)

FINAL PRAYER

🙏 Most loving and generous God,

Thank you for the confidence I feel in our relationship.

Thank you for guiding me, protecting me, strengthening me, blessing me and loving me.

May your light shine through me to others, so that they may make their way to you and enjoy all the wonders that you offer.

In the name of Jesus,

Amen.