January 5, Thursday of the Christmas Week
Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop
Daily readings: 1st John 3: 11-21; Gospel: John 1: 43-51
As per the gospel narrations, it was Andrew who introduced Jesus to Simon Peter. Similarly, today’s gospel witnesses that Philip introduced Jesus to Nathanael, who became a disciple of Jesus.
This gesture of introduction by both Andrew and Philip reminds us of the fundamental attitude of a person who believes in Christ and submitted himself to His Kingdom. They cannot but invite others to experience Christ whom they have met.
Unofficial reports say that the number of Catholic faithful regularly participating in Sunday Holy Mass celebrations is decreasing due to the growing influence of secularization. In this context, we are reminded of the critical mission of inviting non-practicing Catholics to the Christ experience provided by the church through the preaching of the Word and the administration of sacraments.
Nathaniel asks Philip, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?’ He asked that question may be because the name ‘Nazareth’ is not mentioned anywhere in the scripture. Invited by Philip his encounter with Jesus finally makes him an apostle of Christ. Many of our non-practicing catholic brethren also might be skeptical just like Nathaniel regarding the spiritual benefits of ecclesial life.
Let us welcome them by 're-proposing' the Gospel to those who have experienced a crisis of faith. Gradually they would actively participate in ecclesial life and renew their relationship with Jesus Christ and Church. Amen.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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