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Jesus saw Nathaniel coming
toward him and said of him, “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him.” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know
me?” Jesus answered and said to him,
“Before
Phillip 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.”
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What
was happening in Rwanda was simply unimaginable. But
it was happening. Open killing, thousands of
people brutally
murdered, hatred, torture, and death everywhere. Even
as the world as he knew it quite
literally was being destroyed, Paul Rusesabagina decided to pretend
that the
Hotel Des Milles Collines would continue to be an oasis of
sophistication and
decorum. Paul knew that it was only by
continuing to act as a hotel manager that he could achieve anything. His hotel was hardly functioning, the economy
had broken down, the country was ruled by anarchy, but he put on his
suit and
tie every morning and faked business as usual. As
his wife told him, he was truly
a good man.
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The
story of Nathanael in John’s Gospel probably leaves out some of
the details,
and so it does not make the complete sense that we would like. But
there is no misunderstanding what Jesus
and Nathanael say. Jesus recognizes that
Nathanael is a very good man, a man who has "no duplicity in
him." Nathanael recognizes that Jesus is the Son of
God, symbolized in the Old Testament kings. It can be argued that
Nathanael was a good man because he understood
the
person of Jesus Christ well.
From the movie "Hotel Rwanda," we are not sure of Paul Rusesabagina’s religious background, but, as his wife tells him in this session of the movie, we are sure that he was indeed a good man. He was a good man because the principles that guided him were the same principles that guided the apostles and saints—love of others and the conviction that all lives were precious. Because of his conviction, he acted accordingly, even amidst circumstances that were unimaginably horrible. We are all called to be "good" men and women, people who are convinced of the sanctity of life and the respect that everyone deserves. Christians, of course, base their conviction on the principles that Jesus has taught them, but whatever the basis of people’s convictions, speaking about them is not enough. We must act out our convictions, no matter what the circumstances. |
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THOUGHT
What
are the most important characteristics that good men and women
must develop?
PRAYER Good
and gracious God, your Son recognized Nathanael to be a good person,
and
Nathanael recognized the importance of your Son. As
we live our lives here on earth, help us
acknowledge the person of your Son, and then act out your presence in
our
lives. Be with us, we pray.
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©2007
Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America |