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Wisdom Story
At the Monastery of St. George, the monks did not have beautiful voices. The annual pilgrimage on the feast day of St. George was not impressive with the awful singing of the choir. So, the Abbot summoned the monks. He said, "Look, this year I'm going to invite the famous choir from the cathedral for the feast."
The news spread and thousands of people came to the Monastery of St. George for the feast day. It was, to all, a glorious event. The famous choir from the cathedral sang in superb form. The Abbot was thrilled; the humble monks not allowed to sing were thrilled, too.
Following the festivities the monks went off to sleep, and the Abbot was soon asleep, tired from all the excitement of the day. St. George came to him in his sleep, saying, "Father, I think you missed my feast day! Today is my feast day, and here you are, you didn't do anything. Have I not blessed you this past year?" The Abbot said, "O, Saint George! I don't know where you were. But, we had a glorious feast today. How could you have missed it?" St. George said, "I was in the church. I saw a great multitude of people. But, I heard nothing."
Scripture
On the next day Jesus wanted to set out for Galilee. He found Philip and 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 Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about–Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael replied, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip replied, “Come and see.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and exclaimed, “Look, a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?” Jesus replied, “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 said to him,“Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” He continued, “I tell all of you the solemn truth–you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
*John 1.43-51 (NET)
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Comments
Nathanael is in for a big surprise. Upon being invited to meet Jesus, he says, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Possibly, this was a local proverb of derision and may reflect jealousies between towns. Nothing about it is complimentary to either Nazareth nor prospects of what Nathanael might meet in Jesus. Of course, he never could have predicted what Jesus was to say to him, what he would sense in Jesus, and his life was soon to be changed forever.
God appears to delight in the simple, the common~things not esteemed highly by many. God is the God who rejoices in choirs that send out awful sounds. God is the God Who houses His Beloved, Eternal Son in the common, hairy, and fragile flesh of a carpenter's boy from a little, common town called Nazareth.
It seems God is interested in impressing us with one thing: His love for us. We would do well, it seems, to realize that is what God most wants from us: simple, sure love. And it seems God is not concerned about how exquisite are our demonstrations of love, but how true and gladly given.
Suggested Reflection
1. What are your thoughts on the writing above?
2. What is "simple, sure love"?
See next page for details on OneLife Ministries, Brian's book An Ache for Union, and material pertaining to sources used in the writing.
Feel free to submit a query on how OneLife Ministries can better serve you. Thanks! Brian K. Wilcox
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