Jesus Is Watching You

 

Petition: Lord, make me at true disciple of yours.

 

Gospel Passage: John 1:47-51

 

Jesus saw Nathaniel coming toward him and said of him, Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him. Nathaniel said to him, How do you know me? Jesus answered and said to him, Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree. Nathaniel answered him, Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said to him, Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this. And he said to him, Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.

 

Introductory prayer: Lord, I believe that you are the Son of God, the King of Israel. I believe that you know me in the intimacy of my heart. I want to take these few minutes of silence I have to pray, to open my heart to you and to allow you to teach me and to form me to be a person of character and sincerity like Nathaniel.

 

1.   Jesus Knows Me

 

It is not so unusual that Jesus saw Nathaniel under a fig tree. Fig trees, olive trees, and grape vines provided rabbis with a shady place where they could study and teach. What Christ must have seen under the fig tree was a man of sincerity and faith. Perhaps Jesus saw Nathaniel teaching, praying, or studying. Jesus has only made the acquaintance of Nathaniel but still he knows him intimately. That view of Nathaniel under the fig tree told Jesus a lot of things. Jesus knows the hearts of men; he knows their virtues and their vices. He also knows me very well - my sincerity, my eagerness to follow him, my weaknesses and failings. I should not be surprised at what Jesus tells me in prayer because he knows exactly who he is talking to.

 

2.   Jesus Appreciates Sincerity

 

When Philip brings Nathaniel to Jesus, Jesus is quick with a word of praise, Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him. The sincerity of Nathaniel, his lack of duplicity, is obviously something Jesus greatly appreciates. Nathaniel is a man of God who is sincerely searching for the truth about the Messiah. He does not have ulterior motives. His intentions are pure. These are all virtues that are pleasing to God. I must strive to please God in the same way with my sincerity and purity of intention.

 

3.   Greater Things than This

 

Nathaniel is amazed that Jesus knows him so well. Jesus tells him he will see greater things than this. There is much that Jesus wants to show me and teach me. Being a disciple of Christ opens the door to a much deeper understanding of divine reality. I have only to approach Our Lord with a sincere and humble heart and he will make these things known to me.

 

Conversation: Lord, you know me. You know the depths of my heart. You know how sincerely I wish to discover you and follow you. Do not hide yourself from me. Show me the great things of heaven. I know that I am a sinner, but please do not look on my sin but on my humble and contrite heart. I want to be your faithful disciple as Nathaniel was.

 

Questionnaire:

 

1. Am I sincerely searching for Christ and his will in my life? Do I realize that Jesus will not be pleased with me if there is no sincerity in my heart?

 

2. Has it dawned on me that Christ knows me through and through, that he sees me even when I am not aware of it? Does this give me confidence, or does it make me afraid that he will see my sin and insincerity?

 

3. Do I realize that there are many wonderful things that Christ wants to show me, or do I tend to think that there is nothing new that can be revealed to me?