5th January
"Jn 1:43-51" Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"
What a good friend Nathanael had! As soon as Philip was called by Jesus he went to tell his friend Nathanael. But this friend wasn't very impressed with the news. To his mind, Nazareth was not a city fit for prophets, let alone for the Messiah. However, Philip didn't try to convince Nathanael with arguments. He just said, "Come and see." Maybe Nathanael had no interest, but out of mere friendship, he went to see Jesus. In an instant, he fell on his knees and recognised Jesus as the "Son of God! ... the King of Israel!" We don't know if Philip was good at speeches. What we do know is that he was good at friendship. You can't help those you don't love.
A clandestine group of Catholic Chinese families used to take turns to look after some Consecrated Hosts kept in a box in the absence of the priest. One day, a woman who was watching over the Eucharist at her home received a phone call and had to leave suddenly. She went to her next-door neighbour, a good friend but not Christian, and asked her to stay in her home and to keep an eye on the 'Box'. Out of friendship the neighbour agreed to look after the 'Box' in her absence, but first she wanted to know what was kept in it. The lady explained the Eucharist to her as best she could and left. When, an hour later, the lady came back, she found that her friend didn't want to leave. "Can I stay a bit more?" she asked, "I have never felt like this before!" A few months later, after her instruction, she was baptised and joined the 'Confraternity of Clandestine Worshipers of the Box'. All her friend did was to allow her neighbour to stay with Our Lord for an hour. Jesus did the rest. Mary, Queen of the Apostles, may I learn to bring my friends to your Son with the warmth of my affection.
