In our creeds we name ours as an “apostolic” faith, a faith which goes back to the apostles. We remember Jesus because the apostles remembered him, preached him, wrote about him. Without the apostles there would be no Christian faith. Four times the New Testament lists the Twelve, but with variations each time. You would think that these foundational figures would have been better remembered. Today’s feast is of an apostle named Bartholomew but the gospel is about Nathaniel! Nathanael is named as the companion of Philip in St. John’s gospel and so is presumed to be the one called Bartholomew who is paired with Philip in the four lists. (First name, last name? Nickname? Forgotten name?) This says something very important about our own calling to be apostles. Like the twelve we are essential to the message going out. If we don’t talk about Jesus who will? But we should not look on ourselves as all that important for it is God who gives the growth.
