Faith Daily | 5 January 2023

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p479

O God,

by the leading of a star

you manifested your only-begotten Son to the Gentiles:

mercifully grant, that we, who know you now by faith,

may after this life be led to the vision

of your glorious Godhead;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

GOSPEL for the Day: John 1: 43-51

43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 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

“Follow me.” “Come and see.” “You will see greater things than these.”

What a wonderful invitation! Follow me…Come and see.

In these times of uncertainly and challenge, how reassuring to be invited to accompany Jesus into the future…where we will see greater things than these? Where we will be guided, strengthened, protected and forever held in his loving arms.

William Barclay recounts the story of “Thomas Huxley, the great agnostic,… who approached a man known to have a simple and radiant Christian faith. He said to him: ‘Suppose you stay home (from church) and you tell me quite simply what your Christian faith means to you and why you are a Christian.’ ‘But’, said the man, ‘you could demolish my arguments in an instant. I’m not clever enough to argue with you.’ Huxley said gently: ‘I don’t want to argue with you; I just want you to tell me simply what this Christ means to you.’ The man stayed at home and told Huxley most simply of his faith. When he had finished there were tears in the great agnostic’s eyes. ‘I would give my right hand,’ he said ‘if I could only believe that.’

It was not clever argument that touched Huxley’s heart. He could have dealt efficiently and devastatingly with any argument that that simple, uncomplicated Christian was likely to have produced; but the simple presentation of Christ went straight to his heart. The best argument is to say to people; ‘Come and see!’”

May I be like Philip, “who could not keep the good news to himself” and exude the invitation to come and see what wonders are in store when we get to see God more clearly, love him more dearly and follow him more nearly.

FINAL PRAYER Richard’s Prayer

Richard of Chichester (1197–1253), also known as Richard de Wych, was an English pastor. His dying prayer was adapted for the song “Day by Day” in the musical “Godspell” in 1971. Here is a modernized version of Richard’s prayer:

Thanks be to you, my Lord Jesus for all the benefits you have given me, For all the pains and insults you have borne for me. O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother, of you three things I pray: To see you more clearly, love you more dearly, follow you more nearly, day by day.

Amen.