Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: January 5, 2024

Date:   Memorial of St. John Neumann

Scripture Text:  John 1:43-51

Jesus decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth." But Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him." Nathanael 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." Nathanael 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 the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

The gospel text for today from the Gospel of John recounts Jesus’ call to Philip to be his disciple followed immediately by Philip’s outreach to Nathanael to become a disciple. Philip’s actions reveal a true disciple’s calling – to invite others to encounter Christ for themselves.

Nathanael’s experience reminds us that we may share our faith in Christ with others, but it is only in their personal encounter with Christ that they will be won over to our Savior. So, we must speak to others about Christ, but we must not stop there. We must invite them to encounter Christ themselves.  

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

Do I seek to encounter Christ in my prayer? Do I look for Christ in my day’s activities and in those I encounter?

Praying:

LORD, Jesus Christ, your love for the Father and for us compelled You to come among us, to offer yourself for our offenses, and give your life that we might have life with You and the Father in abundance. Send your Spirit to stir within us the desire to bring our love for You to others and to invite others to come to You, to experience your unfathomable love for themselves. Amen.