John 1:47-51

Gospel Reading

John 1:47-51
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.”

Reflection
Using the eyes of faith is crucial to every Christian’s life. It leads us to understand senses could be limits of human belief. It also brings us to awareness that things that happen in our daily lives are graces coming from an “Unseen Being” whom we call God. In John 20:29, Jesus said to the apostles, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Philip’s role in the Gospel is exemplary for he lead Nathanael to Jesus who is the author of the so-called “greater things”. Furthermore, the holy archangels of heaven also bring people closer to God. Can we be like Philip and the archangels who lead other people closer to God? Are we also ready to use our eyes of faith?

Lasallian Guiding Principles
When things seem so hard and impossible our founder St. John Baptist De La Salle would say to the brothers, “trust in the Divine Providence”. This means that he learned the value of using the eyes of faith to see things in accordance with God’s will. Thus God is not a remote God for we already had a good relationship with Him. As a fruit of his meditation he said, “Your faith should be for you a light which guides you in all things and a shining light for those whom you instruct, to lead them on the path to heaven.” (MTR No.178.1) This is the challenge for each us lasallians now.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, through your Son Jesus Christ, you have opened the way to heaven for us. As you revealed yourself to your beloved patriarchs and apostles, so reveal yourself to us that we may recognize your presence with us and know the power of your kingdom at work in our lives. May we always find joy in your presence and never lose sight of your kingdom. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit one God forever and ever, Amen.

Our Lady of the Stars, pray for us
St. John Baptist de la Salle, pray for us
St. Miguel Febres Cordero, pray for us
Live Jesus in our hearts, Forever
In the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit .Amen

Value: Nurturing Faith (Spirit of Faith)
Culture Theme: We nurture our relationship with God.
Productivity Theme: Norms of piety.
Week 4: We surrender to God’s Providence.

Sources:
C. (n.d.). Daily Gospel. Retrieved date, from https://dailygospel.org/M/AM/
DLSU ITS, DLSU STRATCOM, DLSU IRPA. (n.d.). Guiding Principles of the Philippine Lasallian
Family. Retrieved date, from http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/inside/lasallian-guiding-principles/default.asp
https://www.google.com.ph/search?hl=en&biw=1024&bih=455&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=F2uNW76eKYre
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(Prepared by : Neil Stephen G. Benter)