The Power of Testimony (HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE TWENTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR II (ST. BARTHOLOMEW - AUGUST 24, 2024)
HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE TWENTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR II (ST. BARTHOLOMEW - AUGUST 24, 2024) Rev.21:9b-14; Ps.145; John 1:45-51 The Power of Testimony Today we celebrate the feast of St. Bartholomew, an apostle of Jesus Christ who is referred to as Nathanael in today’s gospel. A greater part of the first chapter of the gospel of St. John records the testimony of John the Baptist about the Messiah and how he pointed out the Messiah when He finally came. John pointed the Messiah to two of his disciples (Andrew is one of them). Andrew, in turn, testified of this discovery to Simon his brother. Phillip found the Lord and could not keep it to himself. He too testified to Nathanael, whom we celebrate today. The beginning of Bartholomew’s new life in Christ was the acceptance of the testimony of Philip despite the surprise that the expected Messiah is a Nazarene. Testimony remains a remarkable means of bringing people to Jesus. No one can grow in the Christian life if he/she does n