Project BLACK MAMBA: Current Edition

'Tis the Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle (first century, A.K.A. Nathanael): Apostle-link ūnus, Apostle-link duo, Wikipedia-link Bravo, & Wikipedia-link November.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Bartholomew was one of the Twelve. All that is known of him with certainty is that he is mentioned in the synoptic gospels & Acts as one of the Twelve. He was flayed & beheaded by King Astyages.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

In the New Testament, Bartholomew is mentioned only in the lists if the apostles. Some scholars identify him with Nathanael, a man of Cana in Galilee who was summoned to Jesus by [St.] Philip [3 May]. Jesus paid him a great compliment: "Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him" (John, 1:47b). When Nathanael asked how Jesus knew him, Jesus said, "I saw you under the fig tree" (John, 1:48b).

Whatever amazing revelation this involved, it brought Nathanael to exclaim, "Rabbi you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel" (John, 1:49b).

But Jesus countered with, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this" (John, 1:50b).

'Tis also the festival of Saint Audoin, Bishop (circa 605-686, A.K.A. Ouen, Dado, etc.): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Edward Kaźmierski, Martyr (1919-1942), martyred in the reign of the Führer Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Martyrs of World War II: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link CVIII.

Scripture of This Day
Mass Readings—Feast of St. Bartholomew
The Book of Revelation, chapter twenty-one, verses nine(b) thru fourteen;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-five, verses ten & eleven, twelve & thirteen, & seventeen & eighteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter one, verses forty-five thru fifty-one.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today's Gospel Nathaniel declares to Jesus, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." Nathaniel is also called Bartholomew, whose feast day we are celebrating.

Evangelical Scripture scholar N.T. Wright has told us that when a first-century Jew spoke of the arrival of God's kingdom, he was taken to mean something very specific. He was announcing that the temple was going to be restored, that the proper worship of Yahweh would be obtained, that the enemies of Israel would be dealt with and that, above all, the tribes of the Lord would be gathered and through them the tribes of the world.

This is why Jesus chose twelve disciples, evocative of the twelve tribes. They would be the prototype and the catalyst for the gathering of Israel and hence the gathering of everyone. They would be the fundamental community and sign of unity.

Video reflection by Father Don Miller, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.