Psalm 139:1-10 speaks of the divine knowledge of each human soul. From infancy onward, God knows each individual, and His divine presence is close at hand in all circumstances.
The second or Epistle reading is from 1 Corinthians 6:12-20. Here the Apostle Paul combines the theme of Christian freedom from legalism with the desirability for prudent obedience to higher principles. He uses the examples of diet and sexual restraint to remind the Corinthians that their physical bodies also belong to God and should be used as temples to glorify Him.
The Gospel for this Sunday is from John 1:43-51. Set near the beginning of Jesus' Galilean ministry, these verses recount the call of two lesser-known apostles, Philip and Nathaniel (who is traditionally identified with Bartholomew who occurs in the other Gospels). Here as in some other accounts, Philip is portrayed as a helpful follower who brings others to Jesus. We would do well to follow his example.
Nathaniel is portrayed as a bit cynical and wonders if anything good can come from Nazareth. Yet, when Jesus shows Nathaniel some unusual insight, he quickly affirms Jesus as the Son of God and Messiah. Jesus then assures him that he will see much greater revelations. Nathaniel's example could serve as both a warning and a promise about how we approach Jesus. First, we must not discount His humility, and secondly, while open to little signs of His power, we must focus more on His divine identity and His great spiritual works for redemption.
