Daily Gospel Reflection
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September 29, 2021
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
“Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him.”
Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
Nathanael answered him,
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this.”
And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened
and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
I imagine Nathanael is like many of us. For a time, we earnestly seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness—praying, frequenting the sacraments, and trying to love our neighbors. After a while, and sometimes all at once, we become spiritually dry. Prayer is no longer an encounter with God but a toilsome labor. We feel far from the church, and our neighbors stir up anger in us rather than compassion. It seems that Nathanael, authentic and passionate, had become spiritually dry and disillusioned with God. Perhaps he was even frustrated that the Messiah had not yet come.
And yet, at Jesus’ mere mention that he saw Nathanael “under the fig tree,” Nathanael’s cynicism is smashed to bits, and he proclaims that Jesus is “the Son of God” and “the King of Israel.” What is going on here?
I propose that, for Nathanael, the fig tree was a special, hidden place, where he went to encounter God—to allow himself to hope in God’s promise for Israel and for his own life. That Jesus recognized this was, for Nathanael, incontrovertible proof that Jesus could perceive something that no mere man could know. It meant that Nathanael was seen, known, and loved by God not only just as he was but also for who he might be through his trusting cooperation with God’s grace. The fig tree was a real place, but it was also something spiritual that Nathanael kept hidden in his heart, something that only God could know.
Today, let us ponder our own “fig trees” and invite God to do in, through, and for us what we cannot do in, through, and for ourselves.
Prayer
Lord God, you are glorified without ceasing by the choirs of angels. In the archangels, Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel, you provide us with shining examples of strength and fidelity. May the angels, messengers of your will, always guide and protect us on our journey of life, and may they always lead us to Jesus, the Son of Man and our Lord. We ask this in his name. Amen.
Saint of the Day
On today's feast, the Catholic church honors three great angels—Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael—for the role they play in salvation history.
The word “angel” comes from the Hebrew word for “messenger.” As a category of spiritual being, angels are unique to the three Abrahamic religions—Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. In the Catholic theological tradition, angels are purely spiritual beings who possess intellect and will. Angels in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures appear as messengers of God and often announce new developments in God’s saving plan, and help to bring it to fulfillment. The archangels celebrated liturgically are the angels who are given names in the Hebrew Scriptures. No new angels are named in the canonical New Testament, rather the writers of Christian scriptures used the names of angels found already in Hebrew sacred texts. In Christian angelology, there are generally nine choirs of angels, although different theologians rearrange the hierarchy of the choirs slightly. The archangels are a choir within the third sphere of angels, comprised of the lowest three choirs.
In Hebrew, the name Michael means, “Who can compare to God?” Michael appears in Scripture four times—twice in the book of Daniel, once in the letter of Jude, and once in the book of Revelation leading the battle in heaven:
“Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it.” (Rev 12:7-9)
Traditionally, Michael is understood to be the prince of the heavenly host of angels, and is invoked by Christians in spiritual fights against temptation and the devil. Michael is also the patron of soldiers, paramedics, and police officers. Saint Michael is depicted in several places on Notre Dame's campus, but most prominently above the east door of the Basilica, as part of the memorial that honors students who fought and died in World War I. Today's featured image is of this depiction.
The archangel Gabriel’s name means, “God is my strength,” and this angel appears three times in Scripture as a messenger: in the book of Daniel to explain a vision, and in Luke's Gospel, announcing the births of John the Baptist and of Jesus. In Islamic tradition, Gabriel brings the beginning of the Quran to Mohammed. Gabriel is the patron of those who deliver messages for a living, such as diplomats, broadcasters, postal workers, communications and public relations professionals. Gabriel is depicted on campus in several places, including this Basilica window that shows the Annunciation.
Finally, the angel Raphael’s name means, “God has healed,” and we know of Raphael from the book of Tobit, where the angel travels with the young Tobias as a healer and companion. Tradition holds that Raphael also was the angel who stirred the waters at the famous healing pool in Bethesda, outside the temple in Jerusalem. Raphael is the patron of travelers, of the sick, and of medical personnel. Raphael has also been invoked to protect young people, especially those leaving home for the first time. A figure of Raphael stands on the exterior of Notre Dame's student medical center, St. Liam's Hall, as shown here.
Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels of God—pray for us!