29 September 2023 Only By Grace Reflections

NOTE: Please click the Subscribe key on YouTube and press the black notification bell to receive the daily reflections. Or, open in YouTube for easy access. View and Like. Thank you. TOPIC: DO WE RECOGNIZE JESUS THROUGH THE “ANGELS” HE SENDS US? First Reading: Daniel 7: 9-10, 13-14 or Revelation 12: 7-12ab Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 138: 1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5 Alleluia: Psalms 103: 21 Gospel: John 1: 47-51 In today’s Gospel reading, we ponder on how Jesus simply told Nathanael (also called Bartolomew) that He saw him sitting under the fig tree, and that was enough for Nathanael to reply, “Rabbi, you are the son of God, you are the King of Israel.” It is easy to be confused about how Nathanael could jump to such a conclusion from the words Jesus spoke about him. But notice how Jesus described Nathanael as being one with “no duplicity.” Other translation say he had “no guile.” It means that if one has duplicity or guile, it depicts the person having a two-faced and cunning personality, skilled in the art of deception. This is of course an undesirable quality to possess. But to say the opposite, that one has no “duplicity” or “guile” is a way of saying that the person is honest, straightforward and sincere. As for Nathanael, he was one who spoke freely about what he thought. This is evident when he conversed with Philip and suddenly uttered. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” It was not much of convincing about His divinity that Jesus put forth, nor an intellectual discourse that “sealed the deal.” But rather the Lord touched Nathanael’s virtues of being without duplicity that enabled him to look at Jesus and realize that He is the “Son of God.” This is the 1253rd installment of our CFC contemplation series focusing on the daily liturgical readings. [NOTE: As we continue to pray for Bro Bong Arjonillo’s healing and recovery, let us listen to our brother Jess Ferrer, Head of the CFC Migrants Program, as he brings us today's reflection. All the regular reflections are between 3-7 minutes long, enough time for us to ponder what God's message is for us individually and to pray that we may live them out in our lives. This video is also available on Couples for Christ’s Facebook page. In You Tube, just type ONLY BY GRACE REFLECTIONS] #OnlyByGraceReflections #CFC #CouplesforChrist