Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle

Can anything good come from Nazareth? Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael under the fig tree before he was called. Being seen in the private moment converted the skeptic into an apostle whose name is on the foundation of the new Jerusalem. Let us come to this Mass as people who have accepted the invitation - and let us leave ready to issue it to someone who hasn't yet.

Revelation shows the holy city Jerusalem coming down from heaven, gleaming with God's splendor, with twelve foundation stones inscribed with the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb - Bartholomew's name among them. The psalm sings the glory of the kingdom that endures through all generations. The Gospel gives the scene of Nathanael: Philip's two-word invitation (come and see), Jesus's recognition before the call (I saw you under the fig tree), Nathanael's immediate confession (you are the Son of God), and the promise of greater things to come.

Lord Jesus, you saw Nathanael under the fig tree before Philip called him, and you see each of us in our most private moments: Lord, have mercy. Christ Jesus, you built the new Jerusalem on foundations bearing the names of those who accepted the invitation to come and see: Christ, have mercy. Lord Jesus, you promised greater things to those who say yes to the two-word invitation: Lord, have mercy.

Introduction: God our Father, you built the foundation of your Church on apostles who accepted a simple invitation. On this feast of Bartholomew, we pray for all who have not yet accepted it, and for those of us who have - that we would issue it to others.

1. For the Church - that she would be more Philip than apologist, more come and see than argument; we pray to the Lord.
2. For those who hold authority over nations - that they would govern from a vision of the city that gleams with God's splendor and not from the cities of human construction alone; we pray to the Lord.
3. For the Nathanaels in our community - the skeptics, the raised-eyebrow people, those who have not yet been invited past the question - that Philip would come for them this week; we pray to the Lord.
4. For the families of our parish - that we would be households that issue invitations rather than make cases, that say come and see to the people in our lives; we pray to the Lord.
5. For those whose names are being written on the foundation stones - the faithful who have come and stayed and given everything - that they would know the city they are building is real; we pray to the Lord.
6. For those who have died - especially [name] - that the city with twelve foundation stones would receive them at its gates; we pray to the Lord.

Concluding prayer: Father, you saw us under our fig trees before anyone called us. You named what was true. Let us say yes and come and see - and let us bring others with us. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.