What Does it Mean to Love Your Brother?

Gospel Reflection for Thursday, August 24, 2023

Philip found Nathanael and told him,
"We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law,
and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth."
But Nathanael said to him,
"Can anything good come from Nazareth?"
Philip said to him, "Come and see."
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."
And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man.

-Jn 1:45-51

Saint Phillip is one of the Apostles, along with Saint Andrew especially, who immediately believed that Jesus was the Messiah. Saint Andrew was a disciple of Saint John the Baptist, and when he was told that Jesus was “the Lamb of God”, he believed and followed him. He then told his brother, Saint Peter. Saint Phillip, as we are told in today’s gospel, quickly goes to tell his brother, Saint Nathanael (or Bartholomew), whose feast day is today.

Our Lord tells us that the world will hate us because we show love for our brothers (and sisters).

Saints Nathanael and Andrew show us what it means to love our brother. It is to share the love of God. Jesus was revealed to them and they came to believe. They immediately began to show love for their brothers, hoping that they, too may come to believe in our Lord. To love our brother is not to show what the world now calls “tolerance,” which means acceptance of every bad behavior, belief and lifestyle that opposes the teachings of Christ and His Church. To love our brother is to tell them the Truth of Catholicism because we love them. We want them to spend eternity with us in heaven and not to suffer in hell. These saints show us our Christian duty and proper motivation. Saints Nathanael and Andrew, pray for us.

Judson Carroll is the author of several books, including his newest, Confirmation, an Autobiography of Faith. It is Available in paperback on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C47Q1JNK

His new podcast is The Uncensored Catholic https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-uncensored-catholic