NATHAN EL

Feast of St. Bartholomew, Apostle
Jn 1:45-51

There is little we know about Bartholomew. In the story about how he met Jesus, he was not even called “Bartholomew”, but Nathanael. Because in Hebrew, the word “bar” means son of, Bartholomew indicates whose son Nathanael was. He was “bar Tholomei”, the “son of Tholomei”. This is how we commonly refer to him nowadays. If Nathanael’s father were alive with us today, he would indeed be a “proud” father. He sired an apostle of Jesus. And we all remember that apostle by his father’s name! If my father were still alive today, he would be seventy-one years old. When I was thirteen years old and asked his permission to let me enter the seminary to study for the priesthood, we would not let me had my mother not intervened. His reason was a classic: “You are my only son,” he said, “and you cannot be a priest because no one else will pass on our name.” But when I left the seminary just before beginning my theological studies – the last phase among the many – I caused him (and of course, my mother, too) great sorrow. He would not want me leave the seminary anymore! On my ordination day, dad walked down the aisle of the Manila Cathedral with a joy so overwhelming that his otherwise shy character could not hide. It has been ten years now since the day of my ordination and sometimes I catch my self wondering if dad, in heaven, still beams with immense joy for having sired a priest of the Lord. But, aside from relatives and close friends, very few people remember my father. If I were Nathanael, I would be called “Barcarlos”, “Roberto Barcarlos”, “Roberto son of Carlos.” But I am not Nathanael, and people call me “Father Bobby”. But both Nathanael and I are gifts of God to our fathers even before we are their gifts to Him. “Nathan” means “gift” in Hebrew. “Nathan-el” is “gift of God”. Nathanael and I are gifts of God. That is what every apostle is – a gift of God. That is also what every priest is – a “nathan el”. That is exactly what we ought to strive to be – God’s gift.