Main Thought:
There is no hiding from God; His all-knowing presence is continually with us. We may sometimes wish to veil ourselves, but ultimately God’s knowledge of us is a great comfort. Today we remember St. Bartholomew, also known as Nathanael, whom Jesus knew before He even met him.
Psalm 139:1-8
O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
Prayer
To You, O God, belong praise and glory for Your wonderful providence, that You are present with all Your creatures, and preserve them in their being. Teach us to remember at all times and all places that Your eyes are upon us, and that all our deeds are recorded in Your book. Blot out the sins that are past with the blood of Christ, and cause us to walk in Your fear, and to avoid sin. Amen.
A prayer for the Festival of St. Bartholomew
Almighty God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, chose Bartholomew to be an apostle to preach the blessed Gospel. Grant that Your Church may love what he believed and preach what he taught; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen