Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

The scripture passages I read today are found in 1 Corinthians 1:17-25, Psalm 33:1-11, and Matthew 25:1-13. My favorite verse is 1 Corinthians 1:18 "For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." which I have committed to memory. I found myself in many situations when I recalled this verse (and remind myself of carrying the cross) and found great comfort. History has shown us that political systems didn't bring about world peace but God's people, moved and empowered by the Holy Spirit, have brought schools, hospitals, and food programs to the much needed areas of the world. I love telling my own story that growing up poor in Kowloon City (the Walled City), who would build a school there in the slum to help the impoverished children and supply them with a bag of noodles every week and a large can of oil every month? It's the Catholic Church. My life was shaped by these dedicated people who nurtured me (my body and mind) to what I am today.

For it is written:, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
    and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’ (1 Cor 1:19)

 I have been following a number of speakers on Youtube lately.

Jordan Peterson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFWrLx8b2mQ

especially on his view on Free speech and Political Correctness:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYHpJj-ZJOU

Dr. Sri on Moral Relativism:
https://www.augustineinstitute.org/encounter/

Understanding of Islam and Jihad
(Robert Spencer) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAuS3K5Qdq4
(David Wood) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPBUlZPE95c

This is all part of a discipline that I want to develop in my retirement - to understand the schemes of the devil and to equip myself to face it for the rest of my days.

"Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8)

And,
"Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour." (Matthew 25:13)

And I pray this every day:

Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.

Nathanael uttered these words when he encountered Jesus in John 1:43-51. Today is the feast day of Saint Bartholomew (aka Nathanael). The Morning Offering for today (from The Catholic Company) has this to say about him:

"St. Bartholomew (1st c.) is one of Jesus' Twelve Apostles who, together with his friend and fellow Apostle Philip, came from Cana in Galilee. All we know of St. Bartholomew (also called Nathaniel) is what is mentioned of him in the synoptic Gospels and the book of Acts. Philip told Bartholomew that he had found the Messiah, and, despite Bartholomew's incredulity, the two went together to see Jesus. When Jesus saw Bartholomew he exclaimed, “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him!", indicating that Bartholomew possessed great purity of heart. Bartholomew then asked Jesus how he knew him, and Jesus explained that he saw Bartholomew sitting under the fig tree. This secret between Jesus and Bartholomew caused Bartholomew to immediately exclaim that Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God. According to the Roman Martyrology, Bartholomew became a missionary in the East, preaching and evangelizing in Asia Minor, Ethiopia, India, and finally Armenia, where he was flayed alive and beheaded by King Astyages. St. Bartholomew is the patron saint of nervous and neurological diseases, butchers, leather workers, tanners, cobblers, trappers, and shoemakers. His feast day is August 24th."

In St. John's narrative of this encounter Jesus was quoted in saying, "“Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” indicating that Bartholomew possessed great purity of heart." St. John then documented that "Bartholomew then asked Jesus how he knew him, and Jesus explained that he saw Bartholomew sitting under the fig tree. This secret between Jesus and Bartholomew caused Bartholomew to immediately exclaim that Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God." Jesus then told him, "“Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”"

What is "this secret between Jesus and Batholomew" that transforms him to become one of Jesus' 12 apostles? Why is Jesus' new Kingdom so much tied to the 12 tribes of Israel (another passage I read this morning is Revelation 21:9-14)? Does the "fig tree" have any significance? What are the "greater things than these"? and the reference to Jacob's dream where he encountered God (Genesis 28:12-15):
"And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.  And the Lord stood beside him and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring;  and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring.  Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”"

There are a lot of debates on the comparison between Jacob's dream in Genesis 28:12 and John 1:51. One scholarly paper by David Kirk called "Heaven Opened: Intertexuality and Meaning in John 1:51" is an example of how difficult it is to understand this passage of scripture.

What I get from my reading this morning are these take home points:

• God, through His Son Jesus Christ, the incarnate man (Son of Man) has called man to be part of His plan for this world.
• Nathanael, one of the twelve apostles and saints, was chosen because he recognized and believed two important facts: Jesus is the Son of God and the King of Israel (representing the soon to be established Kingdom of God".
• If we earnestly seek Him based on what is known about Him, through what has been revealed to us (exemplified by sitting under the fig tree), with the purity of heart, He will come to us.
• He promises that He will be with us, protect us, and to bring us home to heaven.
• He also promises that through us, His salvation will reach to the ends of the earth.
• Hold on to these promises and act in obedience. That's how we become saints!