Daily Readings - Wed Aug 24 2022
Revelation
9Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, "Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb."10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,11having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.12It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed--13on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
John
45Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."46Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."47Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"48Nathanael 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."49Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"50Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these."51And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound visions of God’s plan for humanity. The first reading from Revelation paints a vivid picture of the Holy City Jerusalem, descending from heaven in all its glory. This city, with its twelve gates and foundations, symbolizes the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise—a place where God dwells with humanity forever. The second reading from John’s Gospel offers a more personal encounter: Nathanael’s meeting with Jesus. Despite initial skepticism, Nathanael comes to faith when Jesus reveals his knowledge of Nathanael’s inner life, promising him that he will see even greater things.
These readings are connected by the theme of revelation and invitation. In Revelation, the Angel reveals the bride of the Lamb, the Church, in all its heavenly splendor. In John’s Gospel, Philip invites Nathanael to “come and see,” and Jesus invites him to a deeper faith. Both readings remind us that God continually reveals Himself to us, inviting us into a relationship that transcends the ordinary and opens our eyes to the extraordinary.
In our daily lives, we are called to live as part of this heavenly city, even as we journey on earth. Like Nathanael, we may have doubts or hesitations, but Jesus invites us to trust in His revelation of Himself. Let us approach each day with openness to God’s presence and with the courage to invite others to “come and see” the beauty of faith. May we, like the Holy City, reflect the glory of God in all that we do, and may we, like Nathanael, proclaim Jesus as the Son of God, the King of Israel.