Daily Readings - Wed Aug 24 2022
Revelation
9And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;12And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: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 in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
John
45Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.46And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.47Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!48Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.49Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.50Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.51And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon 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.