John 1:43-51
Epiphany 2 / Year B
Today’s Gospel reading is
tantalizing both for what it tells and for what it does not. It tells us Philip links Jesus to a long
expected prophetic promise, but it does not tell us how or why he makes this
connection. It just reports Jesus says
‘follow me’ and Philip follows.
But before (or perhaps as)
he follows, Philip tracks down Nathanael to let him know what is
happening. On hearing where Jesus is
from, Nathanael utters his famous quip, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
Philip replies with a less famous, but
very significant response, “Come and see.”
In Philip and Nathanael we have
examples of two distinctive ways of operating in the world. Philip is open to possibilities. He sees people for who they are. He is drawn to their inner qualities. Nathanael, on the other hand, makes snap judgments
about people based on old and often unfounded stereotypes. He has an “us and them” outlook which divides
people into two groups – those who are like me and those who are not. He has a tribal mentality.
Who are you more like,
Philip or Nathanael? I am a little like
both. In my better moments I recognize
the humanity of people, even if they are very different from me. But, there are times when I look down my nose
at folks who I suspect don’t measure up to my standards.
The Dalai Lama said this:
In today’s
interconnected and globalized world, it is now commonplace for people of
dissimilar world views, faiths and races to live side by side. It is a matter of great urgency, therefore,
that we find ways to cooperate with one another in a spirit of mutual
acceptance and respect… Whether one is
rich or poor, educated or illiterate, religious or non-believing, man or woman,
black, white, or brown, we are all the same.
Physically, emotionally, and mentally, we are all equal. We all share basic needs for food, shelter,
safety, and love. We all aspire to
happiness and we all shun suffering.
Each of us has hopes, worries, fears, and dreams. Each of us wants the best for our family and
loved ones. We all experience pain when
we suffer loss and joy when we achieve what we seek. On this fundamental level, religion,
ethnicity, culture, and language make no difference.
Philip, I think, gets
this. Nathanael does not… at first. Upon meeting him, Jesus says of Nathanael,
“Here is a person lacking guile.” Asked
how he knows this, Jesus relates he saw Nathanael earlier when he was sitting under
a fig tree. Well, whatever this is all
about, it is all Nathanael needs to know to be convinced: “Rabbi, you are the
Son of God, the King of Israel.” It is
as if his eyes are opened and all his prejudices and preconceived ideas melt
away.
This exact transformation
is something we must work for and pray for in today’s world. It is no longer possible to live in a
community where everyone else thinks and acts and looks like you. Archbishop Desmond Tutu said this:
We must embrace our
differences, even celebrate our diversity.
We must glory in the fact God created each of us as unique human
beings. God created us different, but
God did not create us for separation.
God created us different that we might recognize our need for one
another. We must reverence our
uniqueness, reverence everything that makes us what we are: our language, our
culture, our religious tradition.
Philip knew this. Upon meeting Jesus, Nathanael discovered it.
Tutu goes on:
We are made for
goodness. We are made for love. We are made for friendliness. We are made for togetherness. We are made for all the beautiful things that
you and I know. We are made to tell the
world there are no outsiders. All are
welcome… We all belong to this family, this human family, God’s family.
In this
season of Epiphany we celebrate God’s light coming more and more into the
world. And we yearn and strain to be
followers, disciples, children of the light.
And as Jesus promised Nathanael, we too, as we allow the light of God’s
love dwell in us, will see angels descend and ascend on all we do.
