St. Bartholomew Apostle (Feast)
Rev. 21: 9b-14 John 1: 45-51
Theme: What would Jesus say about you?
Today the church celebrates the feast of St. Bartholomew, one of the Apostles of Jesus. He did his mission in Armenia and was martyred there. He is said to be the Nathaniel that Jesus talked about in our gospel of today. The description of him that Jesus presents to us, is worthy of emulation by all of us as children of God. This is very important because of whom Jesus is, he cannot not be deceived or make mistakes; he is both God and man. So, his description of Nathaniel is hundred percent correct, an Israelite without guile. His life and person should be a source of great strength and encouragement to all of us as children of God.
Dear friends in Christ, if you were to meet Jesus today, how would he describe you to those around? The celebration of the feast of St. Bartholomew presents us the opportunity to right the wrongs in our life and re-evaluate the quality of our discipleship. In the life of St. Bartholomew, we see practical faith in God and loyalty to God. His faith was strong, and that is why he was willing to die for what he believed in. He was loyal to his master Jesus Christ until the end. This is very important in the choice we have made to follow Christ as his disciples. The challenges that come with discipleship come in different forms, yours may not require the shedding of your blood, it may be that you are persecuted because you are the voice of the voiceless in the society. There are so many other challenges that are facing the Disciples of Christ, but you must remain steadfast, no matter what yours is. If you have none, then it is time to critically evaluate your call to discipleship.
Dearly beloved in Christ, it is expected that just like Nathaniel, the description that Jesus will give about you should be profound and edifying. However, is that the story of all those who go by the name Christian. With God it is never too late; let us make that bold step today that will make us true ambassadors of Christ wherever we find ourselves. The Lord is always ready to give us another chance for conversion, if only we will show the desire to retrace our steps and return to him. Nothing must stop you from accepting the invitation to become a better person today. May almighty God bless you as you do this, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Peace be with you.