Guileless Hearts

On this Feast of St. Bartholomew, we hear the Gospel story where Philip introduces his friend, Nathanael to Jesus. It has been assumed for centuries that Nathanael and Bartholomew are one and the same person.  Before meeting, him, Nathanael had questioned Philip, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" (Jn 1: 46), but upon seeing him, Jesus exclaimed:  "Here is a true child of Israel. Thee is no duplicity in him." Nathanael was surprised at this comment, since he had never seen Jesus before.  When Jesus said he had seen him sitting under a fig tree, he quickly changed his tune and declared Jesus "the Son of God, the King of Israel." (Jn 1:;49). Took a guileless heart to see clearly without distortion of blur.
This is the kind of heart we need:  to see Jesus, others, clearly for who they are inside, and in so recognizing and acknowledging them, we help them to see themselves and move them to becoming the "best version of thenselves."  St. Bartholomew, help us to have clean hearts and clear vision.
Bro. Rene