August 24 2022 - St. Bartholomew - Without duplicity

 Bartholomew, also known as Nathanael, was a pious Jew who lived in daily expectation of the coming of the messiah. His home was at Cana. And even though Cana was twelve miles away from the Sea of Galilee, it is likely that Bartholomew, was a fisherman. For when St. Peter stood on the Sea of Tiberias after the Resurrection and announced he was going fishing, Bartholomew called out with the other apostles, “we are going with you”.

Bartholomew was evidently a close friend of Phillip. The two of them seemed to be actively looking for the Messiah, and had initially thought that John the Baptist was the Messiah. But after Philip had encountered Jesus at Galilee, Philip, as we heard in the Gospel today, runs to announce to his friend Bartholomew, that it wasn’t John, but Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth, who was the fulfillment of the law and the prophets 

We can only wonder what Bartholomew meant when he said, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nazareth was just a couple miles—just nine miles—from Bartholomew’s hometown of Cana. Perhaps he was speaking with a bit of mockery so often found between two neighboring villages. But his small-town prejudices did not keep Bartholomew from venturing with Philip to see Jesus.

And in this encounter, Jesus himself gives us an insight into St. Bartholomew’s character and faith, “there is no duplicity in him”. The Lord peered into his heart and found him to be a man of impeccable honesty, forthright, open, plainspoken, straightforward, upfront, earnest, innocent, and unpretentious. “Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit” says Psalm 32.

All Christians are to be without deceit, without duplicity. We are to live for the Lord and die for the Lord. We cannot serve two masters. 

After the resurrection, the apostle Bartholomew labored in the master’s vineyard, spreading the Gospel throughout the Iranian Empire and along the Persian Gulf. Around the year 69 he was martyred, skinned alive and crucified. He is sometimes depicted in Sacred Art, holding a knife, which was used to flay him, and sometimes even carrying his skin over his arm, like in Michaelangelo’s Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel. Due to the nature of his martyrdom, Bartholomew is patron saint of those with skin diseases, dermotologists, leather workers, tanners, and butchers.

Honesty, guilelessness, is not a popular trait. Many people prefer comfortable lies. Many act one way in public and another in private. Some live double-lives. But Christians are to be people of Truth, for our Lord says, “I am the Truth” honestly acknowledging our faults and vices and sins, that they may be healed. We are to speak the truth and live the truth in love for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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May we join the Holy Apostles in our prayer for the world and the Church.

As the Apostles witnessed to the Resurrection of the Lord, may we be his witnesses to the farthest corners of the world.

For the bishops, the successors of the apostles: That they may be courageous in stirring up the flame of faith and defending the Church from error.

For all of the sick and suffering, especially victims of skin diseases, natural disaster, poverty, and addiction, may they be comforted and supported by God’s healing love. We pray to the Lord.

For all who long to see the face of the Father, for all our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. We pray to the Lord.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord