Feast of Saint Bartholomew 24th August, by Westcott House Ordinand Sarah Fagg

May I speak in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen 

Today the church celebrates Saint Bartholomew also known as Nathaniel. He is one of the 12 Apostles. He is most well known for his missionary work. It is said that he suffered a rather gruesome martyrdom, possibly by being flayed alive and then crucified or burned alive. 

Nathaniel is known for acclaiming that Jesus “is the son of God, the King of Israel”. Which can be found in John’s Gospel. Perhaps one of the first disciples to go from doubt when he says to Philip “can anything good come from Nazareth”to full acceptance of who Jesus is. 

Saint Bartholomew’s openness about his doubt leads him to encounter God. Even when he was doubtful at first his inquisitive step towards Jesus was enough and the presence of the Son of God was made known to him. It seems God encourages honesty about our doubts because then they can be transformed into belief. 

In our passages today, they seem to be connected in calling us to have faith. To reflect on what might be possible when we have faith in God. That we can obtain eyes that see, ears that hear. That we can be confident in a God that heals. That through God’s grace we are called to be transformed into holiness leading us to serve and care for one another. 

In the Isaiah passage it talks about people who have eyes, but are blind, people who have ears but are unable to hear. I don’t know about people here today but when I read these passages and knowing Isaiah was prophesying to people who had strayed away from their faithfulness to God, I often say an internal prayer, Lord please let me hear you and please let me see you!

It leads to questions what could it mean to have been given these gifts from God eyes and ears?What do we miss if we don’t use them to see and hear the grace God wants to show us. 

We are called to worship God, so what could it look like to first we use our eyes and ears to praise God and build a relationship with Him? To be faithful in seeking out what God wants to show us. 

The passage goes on to explain that there is no other Saviour but God, so we ought to use our senses to connect to Him. There may be times especially when perhaps we have lost faithfulness that our senses are detached from God. We may be tempted to turn towards false idols. 

It is fair to say that perhaps when we do not see and hear the signs we would hope for from God we may well begin to look elsewhere. But my encouragement from the Isaiah passage is to keep faithful and keep looking towards God.Even when it is hard and we want to avoid God, let’s try to continually turn our gaze towards God. 

In our passage from Acts, we have beautiful examples of faith within the early church. People bringing out those who are ill knowing that the Holy Spirit has been gifted to the church giving grace to heal. What could it have felt like to be a member of the early church? Or even to be an Apostle? It must have felt incredible to be able to heal and demonstrate God’s love for people in a physical way.

It would have taken a strong faith - faith by the Apostles that the Holy Spirit would guide them inproviding healing. Also the faith of the people of the towns who were gathering people and believed that they would be healed. The fruits of this faith was that the disciples grew in number and the gospel was able to be shared with more people. Bringing hope to more people. 

May we have faith that we can seek the Holy Spirit to guide us in providing healing to those we meet. Also that God will use us to bring more people into a relationship with Him. 

In our gospel passage it shows the usual topsy turvy world of the gospel. The person who is the youngest is the wisest, the person who we would expect to be served is the one who serves. 

It is interesting to consider what it means to be like a child and why Jesus says this is important.This is also not the first time Jesus mentions being like a children in order to go into the kingdom of heaven. 

I don’t think Jesus is advocating that we all become people who believe anything that we are told. More that we have a broader faith because we will all have at times experienced the wonders and miracles of God. This can also provide comfort that even when things are not so good or perhaps God seems distant we can have faith and hope because we have seen the miracles and mysteries of God. 

The Gospel passage provides a challenge for us today, in that it encourages us to be generous with our time and to serve one another. This can at times push us into feeling guilty or perhaps like we do not do enough, but I would like to provide encouragement that I have witnessed beautiful love and service in the short time I have been in this wonderful community. It has been a blessing to be with you all, the welcome I have received has been truly inspiring. I am almost certain this place and community honours God. 

The Gospel also seems to be broken down into two sections. What we can do now whilst living on earth and what may happen when we enter the kingdom.

The passage moves us towards a heavenly banquet where in God’s kingdom we will be invited to eat, drink and sit at the table with God. We are fortunate that we receive a foretaste of this at the Eucharist. Today when we approach the altar we are united with heaven, how amazing is that, we are invited to sit and eat with God in his Kingdom. What an incredible uncomprehensible gift we have been given. 

We can have faith that through the Holy Spirit, Christ is made truly present to us in the bread and wine. The gift which Christ left us which we need humility and faith to try to comprehend the mystery, but also that it transforms us to go out into the world and serve our community. 

It may not always be clear where God is and how His goodness is poured out into the world. But on this Feast of Saint Bartholomew, he provides an example that even a grain of curiosity and faith is enough to lead us to God which can direct us to have eyes that see beyond our initial doubts. 

So as we journey into the week ahead I would like to encourage us to put our faith in God, even when He may seem distant. Let us be bold like Saint Bartholomew to follow God even when we are not certain, and have comfort that God will work within us and through us, even when we have doubt. That through faithfulness, we can build a deeper rooted relationship with God, knowing that we can put our trust in Him. Amen