Who Knows You?

Statue of St. Bartholomew at John Lateran Basilica, Rome

Today the Church celebrated the Feast of Saint Bartholomew (Nathanael, as he is called in John’s Gospel), who in my estimation suffered the absolute worst form of martyrdom in the history of the Church: he was skinned alive…and then beheaded for good measure. In light of this gruesome reality, the Gospel the Church has given us for today should make us really take a step back and ponder him…

John the Evangelist tells us that Bartholomew/Nathanael was friends with Phillip, who came to him excitedly to tell him about this Jesus of Nazareth who they had met. Phillip tried to tell Bartholomew that people were believing that Jesus was the Messiah for whom they waited. Bartholomew’s response is smug to say the least: “can anything good come from Nazareth?” Then Jesus comes on the scene, and the rest is just too good to paraphrase:

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,

“Here is a true child of Israel.

There is no duplicity in him.”

Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?”

Jesus answered and said to him,

“Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”

Nathanael answered him,

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

Jesus answered and said to him,

“Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?

You will see greater things than this.” (John 1:47-50)

Quite a change Bartholomew goes through. He first scoffs that anyone from Nazareth could be the Messiah, and then by Jesus simply identifying him suddenly Bartholomew has quite a change of heart! So much so that he would go on to die a horrible death in Jesus’ name. What happened?? What went through Bartholomew’s head as he was sitting beneath that fig tree that led to such a change?

I don’t think it’s much of a mystery, and I don’t think it’s unique to Bartholomew: very simply, Jesus knew him.

Don’t we all want to be known?

I think it's part of our human nature, and if you're from Rhode Island you have this quality in abundance (because everybody knows everybody). We all love it when we walk into Dunkin Donuts and they know our order. I remember how happy customers were when I remembered their drink in my bar-tending days. When we take the time to show someone that we know them, even the seemingly smallest thing, it can make all the difference in the world.

If you think about it, there is a relationship between being known and being loved isn’t there? The people who know us best are likely the people we love the most. Our spouses, parents, and closest friends know every little thing about us. If we become separated from that relationship for some reason, the empty pit at the core of our being cries out fear absolute fear: “Who could ever know me like them!” We are all unique people for certain, but I am sure we could all list a thousand reasons why we feel we are more unique than anyone else! How often do we find ourselves in a situation and we think, “no one understands me like so and so.” If so and so isn’t there, we are lost.

I recently made a big move, relocating to Vermont. Moving during COVID-19 is not something I recommend to anyone. All the usual ways of making friends and meeting new people are pretty much shut down. On top of that, my particular move to Vermont was part and parcel of a major step toward the next phase in my own life; it would be nice to have someone here who really knows me.

I first got my head screwed on straight again when I realized that just because the people who know and love me aren’t in the same zip code doesn’t mean they are there for me any less. The logical second step was the realization that the one who knows me best is with me wherever I am and no matter what I’m doing: one who tells us in Scripture that he knows us so well that every hair on our head is counted (not a difficult feat for some of us lol). The multi-million dollar question (for all of us) is: how well do I know him?

Bartholomew was so touched that Jesus demonstrated that he knew Bartholomew even in the slightest of ways that it began his conversion. Jesus’ response is one of my favorite in all the Gospels: “You’re impressed by that? You’ll see greater things than this!!!” Jesus certainly delivered on his word. Bartholomew would go on to see the deaf hear, the blind see, and the dead raised to new life. He would see Jesus walk on water, calm raging storms, and forgive sin. He would see Jesus ascend to the glory of heaven by his own power, and a week later Bartholomew himself would be engulfed in the fire of the Holy Spirit.

I can’t help but wonder…when we realize that Jesus knows us…and when we likewise take the time to get to know him better…how many greater things will we see too?