Being Seen By God

Today’s gospel reading regarding the call of Nathaniel mentions specifically that Nathaniel was sitting under a fig tree when he was approached by Philip. Why did John include this curious detail in his story? I found an explanation by James Rush, who noted, “According Rabbi Maimonides, if an Israelite wanted to express thanks for times of abundance or hope in difficult times one way would be to pray underneath a fig tree. Praying under a fig tree indicated complete trust in God and specifically that God would ‘see him.’ When Jesus said ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ it immediately completed Nathaniel’s reason for being under the fig tree in the first place.... To be seen as a faithful Israelite by God” (https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/44884/john-147-49-understanding-nathaniel).

We don’t have to sit under a fig tree, or in any particular place at all, to be seen and known by God. As St. Augustine stated, “In order for us to see, we have been seen; in order for us to love, we have been loved.” God sees us as we are, enabling us to see and accept our own weaknesses and giftedness; God loves us as we are, prompting us to share that joy by loving others.

To be seen and loved is a powerful and life-changing experience. Being seen frees us from using all our energy to hide our weaknesses and failings and helps us take responsibility for using the gifts we have been given. Being known and loved leads us to recognize God (as Nathaniel proclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel”) and fuels our zeal to share our joy by extending that love to others. That is why we should care a fig about where Nathaniel was sitting when he received the call to follow Jesus!