Come and see

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How Great Thou Art

Salt of the Sound

Today is Monday the 24th of August, the feast of Saint Bartholomew, in the 21st week of Ordinary Time.

Salt of the Sound sings, ‘How Great Thou Art’. Whatever you are doing, set it aside for a moment. Open your heart, your soul, your whole being to God, who is waiting for you. God sees you and loves you. How will you respond?

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart

Then I shall bow in humble adoration

And there proclaim: "My God, how great thou art!"

Then sings my soul, my Saviour-God, to thee

How great thou art! How great thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour-God, to thee

How great thou art! How great thou art!

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Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John.

John 1:45-51

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’

5:56

In our reading today, we hear of the first meeting of Nathanael and Jesus, when Jesus says of Nathanael, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” What do you think Jesus might say of you, if he encountered you right now?

This is a profound moment for Nathanael, who is amazed to discover that Jesus knows him well, simply from observing him under the fig tree. Call to mind a time when you have encountered Jesus in prayer, a moment when you realized that he knew you well, and you perhaps began a deeper relationship with him.

As you listen to the scripture again, picture this scene as if you are present and watch Nathanael and see how he is being changed by meeting Jesus.

9:08

John 1:45-51

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’

10:47

Nathanael has moved from his question of “Can anything good come out of Nazareth, to declaring, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God!” “You are the King of Israel!”

End your time of prayer today by joining Nathanael in his words of praise.

13:22

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen