Thursday, May 12, 2016

The Feast of Saints Philip and James, Cycle C - May 3, 2016

The Feast of Saints Philip and James
May 3, 2016         6:30am


Readings:   I Corinthians 15.1-8
                  John 14.6-14

The Scripture tells us that the apostle Philip is a friend of Andrew and is from a town called Bethsaida.
Jesus invites Philip to follow him and Philip agrees.
In John’s gospel, Philip often says what the other 11 are probably thinking.
For example, before the miracle of the loaves, Philip blurts out: “A full year’s pay won’t be enough even to give a snack to all these people.”
In today’s passage, Philip asks Jesus to get to the point:
“Just show us the Father and that will satisfy us.”
Philip was Greek and introduced many Greek-speaking Jews to Jesus.
Historical tradition says that he preached the gospel in modern-day Turkey.

Then, there are 2 apostles named James.
The James we remember today is believed to be a cousin of Jesus.
He is not the James who was part of the inner-inner circle of Peter, James and John.
This James is usually referred to as James the Less.
Imagine being referred to as “the Less” – like Michael the Less.
I don’t think I’d like that.
This James never appears in the gospels on his own, apart from the Twelve.
He is mentioned by Paul in today’s first reading.
This James became the leader of the Jerusalem Church and was kind of a mentor to Saint Paul on his missionary journeys.
One of the epistles in the New Testament is attributed to him.
A constant theme of his preaching was our duty to care for the poor and the sick.

So, Philip and James come to Jesus with their own strengths and limitations.
And with that, they become part of the foundation of the Church.
Through them, we come to know the Jesus they knew.

For that, today we honor them and invoke their intercession in our prayer.