Gospel reading of Aug. 24, 2026: John 1:45-51
In this issue:
Children’s story: Four men recognize Jesus as the Messiah
Trivia Question
Bible Accent: People talked about who they thought Jesus was.
Spotlight on the Saints: St. Francis Mary of Camporosso
Puzzle: True or false
One day, John the Baptist was with two of his followers when Jesus walked by.
“Behold, the Lamb of God,” John said about Jesus.
John’s two followers heard what he had said and started to follow Jesus.
One of the two followers was a man named Andrew. Andrew went to find his brother Simon.
“We have found the Messiah,” Andrew told Simon.
Andrew brought his brother to Jesus.
Jesus looked at Simon.
“You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas,” which translates to the name Peter.
The next day, Jesus decided to go to Galilee, where he found a man named Philip. Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter.
“Follow me,” Jesus said to Philip.
Philip then found Nathanael.
“We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth,” Philip said.
Nathanael was skeptical.
“Can anything good come from Nazareth?” he questioned.
“Come and see,” Philip replied.
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.”
Nathanael looked confused.
“How do you know me?” he asked.
“Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree,” Jesus said.
Nathanael was amazed.
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel,” he said.
“Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?” Jesus asked. “You will see greater things than this.”
“Amen, amen, I say to you,” Jesus continued, “you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
READ MORE ABOUT IT:
John 1
Q&A
1. Who called Jesus the Lamb of God?
2. Who wanted to know if anything good could come from Nazareth?
Trivia Question
Nathanael called Jesus “Rabbi.” What does that word translate to? (Hint: John 1:38)
Answer: Teacher.
Bible Accent
In Matthew 16, we can read a discussion about who people thought Jesus was.
Beginning in verse 13, we read that Jesus and the apostles went into the region of Caesarea Philippi.
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Jesus asked his friends.
“Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets,” the apostles replied.
“But who do you say that I am?” Jesus wanted to know.
Simon Peter looked at Jesus.
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” he said.
“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah,” Jesus said. “For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.”
“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it,” Jesus continued. “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Jesus then strictly ordered the apostles to tell no one that he was the Christ.
Spotlight on the Saints: St. Francis Mary of Camporosso
Giovanni Croese was born in Camporosso, Italy, in 1804. He lived and worked on his family’s farm until he became a Conventual Franciscan at 18.
In 1825, he switched to the Capuchin order in Genoa, Italy, and took the name Francis Mary.
He became the Capuchins’ questor, and he would go door to door begging for food. During this time, he became known as a seer and a miracle worker.
When a cholera epidemic broke out in Genoa, Francis Mary offered himself to God so the crisis would end. He died in 1866 while ministering to people who had contracted cholera, and the epidemic slowed down significantly after his death.
We remember him on Sept. 17.
Puzzle
Using the hints provided, put a T next to the sentences about the apostles that are true and an F next to the ones that are false.
___ 1. Jesus gave the apostles authority over unclean spirits. (Matthew 10:1)
___ 2. If people refused to listen to the apostles’ preaching, Jesus said to yell at them. (Matthew 10:14)
___ 3. Jesus told the apostles to proclaim the Gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15)
___ 4. Jesus said the apostles would sit on thrones and judge the tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28)
Answers: 1. T; 2. F; 3. T; 4. T
