Come and See: Walking Honestly with Jesus
The readings today remind us of three simple truths: God is preparing us for eternal life, He wants us to come to Him sincerely, and He calls us to help others encounter Jesus.
We do not need to know everything before coming to Christ. We simply need an open and honest heart.
Apocalypse 21:9–14 — The New Jerusalem
John is shown the New Jerusalem, beautiful and filled with the glory of God.
The New Jerusalem represents God's people, the Church, in her final glory. The twelve gates carry the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, while the twelve foundations carry the names of the twelve Apostles.
This shows us that God's plan of salvation has been unfolding throughout history. What God began with Israel finds its fulfilment in Jesus Christ and His Church.
It also gives us hope.
Our life on earth is not our final destination. We are journeying toward eternal communion with God.
Sometimes we become so occupied with our daily problems, work, money, relationships and worries that we forget where our journey is actually leading.
Our faith reminds us:
This world is temporary. Our final home is with God.
So we should live today with eternity in mind.
Psalm 144(145):10–13a, 17–18 — Call Upon God Sincerely
The Psalm tells us that all God's creation gives Him glory and that His faithful people praise Him.
God is faithful.
God is just.
His kingdom lasts forever.
And most importantly:
"The Lord is near to all who call him, who call on him in truth."
God wants us to come before Him sincerely.
We don't need to pretend when we pray.
If we are afraid, tell Him.
If we are angry, tell Him.
If we are confused, tell Him.
If we have doubts, bring those doubts to Him.
God already knows what is happening inside our hearts anyway. There is no point trying to hide it from Him.
Prayer is not about putting on a holy performance. It is about having a real relationship with God.
Come before Him with an honest heart.
John 1:45–51 — Come and See
Philip discovers Jesus and immediately goes looking for Nathanael.
He tells him:
"We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the prophets wrote."
But Nathanael is doubtful.
When he hears that Jesus comes from Nazareth, he asks:
"Can anything good come from Nazareth?"
Philip doesn't start arguing with him.
He gives one of the simplest invitations in Scripture:
"Come and see."
There is something beautiful about this.
Sometimes when sharing our faith, we think we must have an answer to every question.
We don't.
We should learn our faith and be ready to explain it, but Christianity is ultimately about bringing people to Jesus Christ, not winning arguments.
Philip basically tells Nathanael: Don't just take my word for it. Come and meet Him yourself.
Jesus Knows Our Hearts
When Jesus sees Nathanael approaching, He says:
"Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"
Nathanael had doubts, but he was sincere.
Jesus knew his heart.
This teaches us something important about our own relationship with God.
We can have questions.
We can struggle.
We can sometimes fail to understand God's ways.
But we should come before Jesus honestly.
There is a difference between someone who sincerely asks, "Lord, help me understand," and someone who has already decided that he will never listen.
Jesus welcomes the sincere heart.
"You Will See Greater Things"
Jesus tells Nathanael:
"You will see greater things than these."
He then speaks about heaven opening and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.
This reminds us of Jacob's ladder in Genesis 28.
The deeper meaning is that Jesus is the bridge between heaven and earth.
Through Jesus Christ, we are brought back into communion with God.
Jesus isn't simply another teacher showing us interesting things about God.
He is the one who brings us to the Father.
Share the Faith, Don't Make Others Fall
Philip also gives us an example of how we can share our faith.
When we learn something about God, Scripture or Catholic teaching, we should be willing to share it with others.
But we must do this with humility.
We should never deliberately deceive another person, twist Scripture or pretend to know something when we don't.
If we don't know an answer, there is nothing wrong with saying:
"I don't know. Let me find out."
We are brothers and sisters helping one another toward Christ.
Our knowledge of Scripture should help others grow closer to God, not make us feel superior to them.
What These Readings Teach Us
The message of today's readings can be very simple:
The New Jerusalem reminds us where we are going.
The Psalm teaches us how to approach God—with praise, trust and sincerity.
The Gospel teaches us who brings us there—Jesus Christ.
And when we encounter Jesus, we should become like Philip.
We invite others:
"Come and see."
We don't force.
We don't deceive.
We don't pretend to know everything.
We share what we know, live our faith sincerely and help one another discover Christ.
Because in the end, Christianity isn't simply about knowing many things about Jesus.
It is about knowing Jesus, trusting Him, following Him and helping others encounter Him too.
Reflection Questions
Do I come before God honestly, especially when I am struggling or doubtful?
Do I praise God only when things are going well?
Am I living with eternal life in mind, or am I too attached to earthly things?
When I don't understand something about my faith, do I sincerely search for the truth?
Like Philip, am I willing to invite others to "come and see" Jesus?
When sharing Scripture, am I helping people grow closer to Christ or simply trying to prove that I am right?
Do my words and actions lead others toward Christ, or could they sometimes cause others to stumble?
A Simple Thought for Today
Come to Jesus with an honest heart. Let Him show you who He truly is. Then help someone else to "come and see."
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