Monday 24th August, 2009
ST BARTHOLOMEW.
 Apocalypse 21:9-14. Your friends tell the glory of your kingship, Lord—Ps 144(145):10-13, 17-18. John 1:45-51.

  
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‘Can anything good come from Nazareth?’

Where would we get a better example of a positive response to such a put-down?—‘Here is a real Israelite; there is no falsehood in him!’ If Jesus had seen Nathaniel before Philip called him he would no doubt have also known of Nathaniel’s remark about Nazareth. A stinging rejoinder in defence of his townsmen could well have been his opening remark, but no, Jesus makes a virtue of Nathaniel’s outspokenness—‘You speak your mind.’

The effect on Nathaniel is immediate; prejudice turns to favour and instead of a critic, Jesus wins for himself an enthusiastic supporter. It would be well for us to heed Philip’s words—‘Come and see’—before we drop disparaging remarks about people we have never met. Prejudice thrives on ignorance.