Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle

“St Bartholomew”
by Albrecht Dürer, 1523

Biographical Information about St. Bartholomew[1]

Readings for the Feast of Saint Bartholomew[2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Revelations 21:9b-14

The angel spoke to me, saying,

“Come here.

I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain

and showed me the holy city Jerusalem

coming down out of heaven from God.

It gleamed with the splendor of God.

Its radiance was like that of a precious stone,

like jasper, clear as crystal.

It had a massive, high wall,

with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed

and on which names were inscribed,

the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

There were three gates facing east,

three north, three south, and three west.

The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation,

on which were inscribed the twelve names

of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

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Commentary on Rv 21:9b-14

God shows St. John the New Jerusalem, Christ’s heavenly kingdom.  The Evangelist has borrowed much of his description from Ezekiel (Chapters 40-48).  He is taken to a high mountain (Ezekiel 40 2-3) and sees the heavenly vision as God’s presence transforms his kingdom into a radiant fortress.  St. John’s description supports images of evangelization (see 2 Corinthians 4:6).  The repeating number 12 (twelve angels, twelve tribes, twelve names) alludes to the perfect continuity between God’s relationship with the Old Testament peoples (Ezekiel 48:30-35 and Exodus 28:17-21) and the Church (Matthew 19:28 and Luke 22:29-30). He concludes his vision providing an analogy; the preaching of the Apostles (and Prophets) is to the Church as a foundation is to an edifice (see Ephesians 2:20).

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18

R. (12) Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,

and let your faithful ones bless you.

Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom

and speak of your might.

R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

Making known to men your might

and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,

and your dominion endures through all generations.

R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

The LORD is just in all his ways

and holy in all his works.

The LORD is near to all who call upon him,

to all who call upon him in truth.

R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

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Commentary on Ps 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18

Psalm 145 is a hymn of praise.  In this selection we hear the singer rejoice in the image of God’s Heavenly Kingdom as its very existence announces God’s glory to the world.  He supports his faithful servants and blesses their efforts.

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Gospel: John 1:45-51

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 heaven opened and the angels of God

ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

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Commentary on Jn 1:45-51

St. John’s Gospel gives us the story of the call of Bartholomew (Nathanael).  The symbolism used in the story is rich in the Hebrew tradition.  When Jesus comments; “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him,” he is referring to Jacob who first was called Israel but tricked his father Isaac, receiving his blessing above Esau and therefore considered duplicitous.  “True son” would relate him to Abraham.

Next we hear the Lord respond to Bartholomew when he asks “How do you know me?” with the statement “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”  The fig tree is a symbol of Messianic Peace.  In this statement Jesus identifies himself as the Messiah.  Bartholomew understands and immediately responds in faith “Rabbi, you are the Son of God…”

There is a possible reference Genesis 28:11-17 in the final verse of St. John’s account.  The dream of Jacob sees the same “angels of God ascending and descending” at his awakening Jacob exclaims “This is nothing else but an abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven!"

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Reflection:

St. Bartholomew’s Feast places us in a bit of a quandary. Based upon references elsewhere in scripture, we believe that St. Bartholomew and Nathanael was the same person. Other sources still say his original name was Jesus and he changed it to avoid any possibility of confusion.

From a spiritual perspective his image is both inviting and seems almost a warning. As one of The Twelve, he received the respect and admiration due one of the original members of that tiny group that remained faithful and spread the knowledge of Christ throughout the world. At the same time, the images we have of him are rather gruesome. He is said to have been flayed alive (skinned) and the most famous image of him, painted by Michelangelo in the "The Last Judgment" (Sistine Chapel), shows him holding his own skin.

The readings tell us he was brought to Christ by another one of the twelve, Philip and that Jesus immediately accepted him saying; “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.” an apparent reference to Jacob, the brother of Esau who, through a ruse, stole his brother’s blessing and was labeled as duplicitous (Genesis 32:29). Being straightforward as he was St. John tells us that Bartholomew challenged Jesus saying; “How do you know me?”

Jesus answered with a reference to having seen Bartholomew lying under a fig tree. This, according to the notes on this passage, refers to a symbol of messianic peace. In other words Jesus saw Bartholomew (Nathanael) as a person who had already experienced the peace of the kingdom as transformed by the Lord. Is it any wonder then that once this revelation had been made the profession of faith followed from the lips of Bartholomew saying; “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” (In other words, Bartholomew labeled Jesus as the Messiah!)

Where does the image of Bartholomew take us? That largely unknown Apostle, who, tradition has it, carried the Gospel to Asia Minor, Ethiopia, India and Armenia; friend of Philip, and martyr, is one more example of faith to inspire us. Why should the Twelve have become famous? Jesus, their example and ours, valued humility, placing the Father always first. Is it surprising that one of his closest friends would choose to have the Lord’s name remembered instead of his own?

Today we actually get a great lesson from the Apostle, Bartholomew. Let us all pray that, at the end of our lives, when people think of us, they will think of what we did for God’s glory and remember our Heavenly Father’s love for them.

Pax

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[1] The picture used is “St Bartholomew” by Albrecht Dürer, 1523

[2] ALTRE

[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.