J 1,43-51

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love.

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation: imagine a fig tree under which Nathanael is standing, perhaps reading the Word of the Lord and thinking that he is invisible. Jesus is not far away, he is watching and seeing Nathanael.

Ask for the fruit of meditation: let me hear God, myself, and others

1.Follow me…; Come and see…

Jesus is meeting Philip on his way and saying to him: Follow me. Philip is going and meeting Nathanael, who doubts Jesus’ goodness. He is hearing the words of Philip: Come and see, and like Philip he goes on the road. They are going to meet Jesus. In this fragment, the invitation to be on the road resounds quite clearly. Jesus invites you to go on the road, not to stay still. Being on the road can concern our entire earthly life as a stage to life after death. It can also refer to our different spaces in our life: relationships, work, spiritual, emotional, goals that we set for ourselves. It seems that being on the road can be synonymous with our development and therefore can be associated with making decisions. Being on the road is more important than getting goals. It is important for us to know towards whom we are going, towards what greater good we are going. Both Philip and Nathanael made such a decision. Each of them, after being invited to the road, set off on the road.

What’s your way? To what and to whom are you going? What a way does Jesus invite you to in your everyday life? How do you respond to this invitation?

2.  Listening 

Philip and Nathanael heard Jesus’ invitation. It is extremely important to hear the other person, to hear God. While listening, my silence is needed, both internal and external. You can only truly listen when you don’t hold on to your point of view, when you allow yourself to see a different perception of reality than the one you have. Hearing others, God gives you the opportunity to discern more about your way to full life in God.How do you hear yourself? How do you listen to others and God?

3.How do you know me? …Before… I saw you …

Jesus saw Nathanael before Philip called him, as he stood under the fig tree and did not expect anyone to see him. Nathanael was surprised, amazed that Jesus had known him well before the described meeting.

What does it do in you, make you aware that Jesus knows you from the very beginning of your existence and knows well what you think, feel, what is happening inside you and that you are visible and important to him at every place and time?

 4. Calling

Jesus calls Philip and Nathanael as his disciples. The word calling may cause us some confusion, anxiety, questions: what is my calling, is it in accordance with God’s will? There are also greater callings: to life in marriage, priesthood, alone … and the smaller, equally important ones, which concern our everyday life, work and life in the place where we are. To be someone of calling is to do something passionately, in accordance with your desires and with the greater glory of God. It does not mean that we will not experience difficulties, that there will be no moments of doubt and discouragement, but it will not prevent us from feeling happy in what we do. Remember, that Even if you make mistakes, you can always get up and start over, for no one has the right to rob you of hope. (vs. Pope Francis, Christus Vivit, pt. 142)

Discover your desires… discover your daily callings in your relationships, at home, at work…

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar, such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)