Daily Gospel Reflection for January 5, 2024

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: John 1:43-51

I can’t help but remember the scene from The Chosen when reading this Gospel passage. It gave me chills and brought tears to my eyes—one of those moments when Jonathan Roumie so powerfully reminds me that Jesus loves me, personally.

What I didn’t know is that, according to a footnote on the USCCB’s website, the fig tree is “a symbol of messianic peace.” According to Catholic Answers, this symbolism may mean that Jesus is telling Nathaniel that He knows he has been waiting for the Messiah—and that the Messiah has come.

Taking The Chosen scene and this context together, I think there’s one important takeaway: Jesus wants us.

He knows that our hearts were made for Him, and He wants them. As St. John Neumann, whose feast day we celebrate today, said, “We are not sent into this world for nothing; we are not born at random. . . . God sees every one of us; He creates every soul . . . for a purpose.”

When you cry out in despair to God, He sees you, just like He saw Nathaniel under the fig tree. He sees you, He cries with you, and He will never, never abandon you.

Sister in Christ, whatever pain you’re bringing into the new year with you, bring it to Jesus. Picture meeting Him under a fig tree (or whatever tree is local to you). Give Him that pain, and let Him console you.

Ponder:

How can you open your heart to Jesus like Nathaniel did?

Pray:

Jesus, please meet me under my own metaphorical “fig tree.” I know You see me; help me to see You.

Click to tweet:
When you cry out in despair to God, He sees you, just like He saw Nathaniel under the fig tree. He sees you, He cries with you, and He will never, never abandon you. #DailyGospel

Copyright 2024 Taryn DeLong