Saturday, February 28

Lessons from the Daily Lectionary – Saturday, February 28, 2009

Psalm 24; Deuteronomy 7:17-26; Titus 3:1-15; John 1:43-51

Meditation: There are two proverbs (Proverbs 26:4, 5) – one following the other – which at first discourage, and then encourage one from correcting foolishly spoken words. Both are perfectly fine pieces of advice, depending on the context. The challenging piece left for the reader is to discern the seemingly simple question of when our words are too much or too little.

Today’s Gospel reading has something of this too much said, or is it too little? Philip finds his friend Nathanael and excitedly tells him that he has just met “the one about whom Moses and the prophets wrote.” In other words, “I’ve found the Messiah!” But then he seems to say a bit too much: “It’s Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.”

As a city, Nazareth had a reputation similar to places like Liverpool in England, or Cleveland or Wilmington, Delaware – cities whose halcyon days may have passed, working class cities back in the day, but certainly no tourist destination now. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael snarked. And what started as an enthusiastic invitation, because of the extra words, “son of Joseph from Nazareth,” seemed to lose its luster.

A few years ago, I took a turn visiting a counselor. It was helpful. I was glad to have someone to talk with who might help me put my head on a bit straighter. I remember a sign she had on her wall that said something like: “Did one anyone die? If not, we can still work on it.” I liked the grace and the hopefulness in the little proverb. We can and do say too much or too little, but that doesn’t mean that the situation is irredeemable. Philip had a great reply to Nathanael after he may have said too much. “Come and see.” “You don’t have to take my word about Jesus of Nazareth, come and see him for yourself.” And when he did, something happened to Nathanael. Jesus saw in him “an Israelite in whom there is no guile.”

I’m not sure how Jesus came to such a conclusion. Nathanael seemed an Israelite in whom there was much guile to me. But Jesus must have seen something else there. His kind and generous words, turned the guileful into a friend.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we can never quite corner you in our efforts to figure you out, to pin you down. At the places where we might dismiss you words, your purpose, it is in those very moments that your way of being in the world and your actions towards others, open new lines of hope and good will. Help us to hear from you, something of what Nathanael heard, that we are beloved by your God. Help us also to speak similarly, with words which respond to others with kindness and generosity. Amen.