Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way and the truth and the life.No one comes to the Father except through me.If you know me, then you will also know my Father.From now on you do know him and have seen him.”Philip said to him,“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a timeand you still do not know me, Philip?Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,or else, believe because of the works themselves.Amen, amen, I say to you,whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,and will do greater ones than these,because I am going to the Father.And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”
REFLECTION
Philip said to him,“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a timeand you still do not know me, Philip?Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
Why are St. Philip and St. James, both apostles, chosen by the Catholic Church to share a feast day?
Simply the Church received their bodies at the same time in the 6th Century and both gave their lives to preach the Gospel. Their bodies were buried in the Basilica of the Holy Apostles, Basilica dei Santi XII Apostoli, in Rome.
St. Philip was one of John the Baptist's followers. When John said to his disciples, "Behold the Lamb of God" he identified Jesus as the Messiah. Philip left and followed Jesus. He was one of the few disciples who had a direct encounter with Jesus and he was one of the first of the 12 apostles Jesus asked to follow him. Phillip was born in Bethsaida, was married, and had children, daughters. Leaving behind everything, he was compelled to bring others to meet Jesus and decide for themselves. He brought Nathanael to meet Jesus and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote-Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." (John 1:45)
Even though Philip was a faithful follower, he was human and did not fully understand who Jesus was. During the Last Supper Philip hears Jesus say, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Still not understanding, Phillip asks Jesus, "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a timeand you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father."
In 62 A.D., after Jesus' death and resurrection, Phillip courageously spread the "Good News" about Jesus to the Greeks with Bartholomew. There he was arrested, scourged, imprisoned, and finally crucified upside down.
St. James was known as "James the lesser" because this differentiated him from James the brother of John. James the lesser was a cousin to Jesus. James' mother was related to Mother Mary. He was said to resemble Jesus. James wrote one of the Epistles of the New Testament. He is also credited for referencing the Sacrament of Anointing the Sick "Is any sick among you? Let him call the elders of the Church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up." (James 5:14-15)
James practiced the virtue of purity. He was a virgin all his life and he refused to shave, cut his hair, or consume meat or alcohol. The others called him the "Just One."
In 62 AD, James became a threat to the Jewish leaders and they accused him of breaking the Law. The Jews delivered James to a mob and they took him to the top of the Temple and told him to deny that Jesus was the Messiah. He refused so they threw him off the Temple battlements. He survived the fall but they hurled stones at him and one of the mob clubbed him to death.
Jesus understood that human beings will fail, but with His love and patient lessons, they will eventually be faithful. St. Philip and St. James were martyred because they believed in the Words of Jesus and wanted others to believe so that they could have eternal life.
Learn from Jesus as the apostles did. Come to FACE ZBS (Face-to-Face ZOOM Bible Study) this Wednesday, May 4th, and study the biblical pretext and context of the Gospel message. Ask a priest and theologian questions to better understand the Sunday readings.
Fall in love with Jesus as His disciples did by listening to His Words. "Your words, Lord, are spirit and life." (Psalm 119)
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