Today is the Feast of St. Bartholomew the Apostle..sometimes thought of as Nathaniel. Yes, Nathaniel, the fellow who was a friend of Philip, who introduced him to Jesus. The fellow who was skeptical that anything (or anyone) good could possibly come from Nazareth. (See the Gospel of John, Ch. 1, v. 43 - 51.)
This is the only reference to him in the Gospels; he was definitely not an outspoken apostle. But when Jesus met him, the Lord recognized something special about him: he was a man "without guile"; that is, a person who was without falsehood. Further, when he asked Jesus how Jesus knew him, the Lord replied, "I saw you while you were under the fig tree..."
Jesus saw Nathanial before Nathaniel was aware of Jesus, and Jesus knew him. That's what grabbed my attention in this passage today. Just think about it. What would it be like to realize that you've been truly seen by Jesus, and truly known -- understood and loved nonetheless -- by Him? We're told time and again that we are. That He cares for us as he cares for the tiniest birds. That He counts every hair on our respective heads. That He watches over us, neither slumbering nor sleeping. That He sends angels to care for us in times of trouble so that fire and/or flood won't overtake us, neither will we 'dash our [feet] against a stone'.
But do we really believe it? Deep down? Do we know it with -- as the Rev. Canon Arthur Sheffield is known for saying -- our "knowers"?
And if fully grasping the reality of being seen and known by God in Christ, are we able to hold fast to that knowledge so that we can 'go forth in peace to love and serve the Lord'?
Something to ponder on this day honouring the death and life of Nathaniel
known as Bartholomew -- son of Tholomew.
Jesus Christ, to whom the number Of thy starry host is known, Many a name, by earth forgotten, Lives forever round thy throne; Lights, which earth-born mists have clouded, There are shining full and clear, Nobles in the court of heaven, Nameless, unremembered here.
In the roll of thine apostles One there stands, Bartholomew, He for whom today we offer, Year by year, our praises due; How he toiled for thee and suffered No one here can now recall; All his saintly life is hidden, All to him that did befall.
Was it he, beneath the fig tree Seen of thee, and guileless found; He who saw the good he longed for Rise from Nazareth’s barren ground; He who met his risen Savior On the shore of Galilee; He to whom the word was spoken, “Greater things thou yet shall see”?
None can tell us; all is written In the Lamb’s great book of life, All the faith, and prayer, and patience, All the toiling, and the strife; There are told thy hidden treasures; Number us, O Christ, with them, When thou makest up the jewels Of thy living diadem.
- *Lyrics: Rev. John Ellerton
*Tune: 'Rustington' by Charles Hubert Hastings Parry May this bless your day.
*Slightly different lyrics, also attributed to Rev. Ellerton, and referencing the tune, 'Everton' by Henry T. Smart, may be found HERE. Yet another slightly different version prepared for singing along may be found on YouTube HERE -- to the tune, 'Everton'. The version beginning "King of saints, to whom the number..." appears to have appeared last in Canadian Anglican worship in the text The Book of Common Praise, being the Hymn Book of the Church of England in Canada, annotated ed., 1909 -- hymn #d332.
On this day in 1866, the hymnist Rev. John Mason Neale -- born January 24, 1818 -- died.
Who? Yes, I know. Most of us don't pay a great deal of attention to the people who write the hymns we've come to know and love over the years -- whether they've written the lyrics, composed the music, or both. And lest you think I've been spending days like this one -- rainy, during a pandemic -- researching obscure lyricists or composers, that's not the case.
It just so happened that Rev. Neale's death was mentioned as by Dean Robert of Canterbury Cathedral, in his list of "on this day" items prior to Morning Prayer for today. He quoted a piece of one of Rev. Neale's hymns with with I was completely unfamiliar, but my interest was aroused enough to dig out my big black Hymn Book (The Book of Common Praise, Revised 1938) to see what all he wrote.
There are nine hymns in that tome for which he wrote lyrics. The first, for Epiphany, begins, "O Thou who by a star didst guide/The wise men on their way,/Until it came and stood beside/The place where Jesus lay..."
It would seem that Rev. Neale was inspired in particular by special occasions, for in addition to Ephiphany, he wrote one for 'Saints' Days', one for 'Ember Days and Ordination', and one for laying the foundation stone of a new church (!). He also wrote a hymn for times of 'pilgrimage and conflict' and one suitable for a funeral or memorial service.
In all my years (decades, really) of singing in church -- both in choirs and in the congregation -- I remember nary a one of those.
But...and it's a big "BUT"...There are two that I know well, and you probably do too. While all of his other hymns are singles, Rev. John Mason Neale wrote two carols for Christmastide: "Good Christian men rejoice" (now sung as "Good Christians all rejoice"), and that perennial favourite of so many, sung on Boxing Day or for the Feast of St. Stephen: "Good King Wenceslas".
Rev. Neale had a penchant for high Anglicanism, was partial to the work of the Oxford Movement and was instrumental in founding the Society of St. Margaret, an Order of Anglican nuns whose work was focused on caring for the sick. For his trouble, he endured insults, abuse, ostracism and even personal violence.
In the end, he is best remembered for his hymns -- not only the ones he wrote, but also ones from the Eastern Church that he translated to English. "More than anyone else, he made English-speaking congregations aware of the centuries-old tradition of Latin, Greek, Russian, and Syrian hymns." - Wikipedia. These included more that are familiar and well loved, which you might recognize -- and yes, they tend to be those marking Holy Days and special occasions: All Glory, Laud and Honour (Palm Sunday); O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Advent); and Of the Father's Love Begotten (Christmas).
So now...for your enjoyment, a trio of these favourites...
(I wonder what Rev. Neale would think of this 2016 version?!)
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Then this from 2008...with hopes that soon again we can sing in congregation...
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And finally, this...
Maybe you'll find yourself humming one of these as you go about the rest of your day, and wherever you are, may your day be blessed!
