Saturday August 24th: Blessed are the pure in heart

St Bartholomew, Apostle

“In all truth I tell you, you will see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending over the Son of man.”

John: 1: 45-51

Jesus found no duplicity in Nathanael. His heart was undivided. He was a pure and honest man. I like to think of the fig tree as where Nathanael spent time in thought and prayer, where he probably poured his heart out to God, cried, praised and even longed for the coming of the Messiah. “Before Phillip called you, I saw you under the fig tree”, those very words of Jesus were enough for Nathanael to profess that Jesus was the Son of God and the King of Israel. It was under the fig tree Nathanael was seen.

Today’s Gospel inspires us to find a quiet place to spend time with Jesus. Perhaps, Eucharistic Adoration. Here let us allow Jesus to see us as we are while we adore him. Let it be for us the place where we contemplate the return of the Messiah and prepare too our hearts, so that he finds no duplicity in us.