Sts. Phillip & James - May 3rd

Today, we celebrate the Feast of Sts. Philip and James, two of the twelve apostles. The saints are celebrated together, because an ancient church in Rome was dedicated to both of the apostles. Today the church in Rome is now called “the Church of the Twelve Apostles”.

St. Philip was from the city of Bethsaida in Israel. Some believe he was a disciple of John the Baptist, before becoming one of the twelve apostles, whom Jesus called to follow Him. He introduced St. Bartholomew to Jesus, after which he too became one of the twelve. St. Philip was a married man, who had at least three daughters.

In today’s Gospel, Philip asked Jesus, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” And Jesus replied to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me Philip? Whoever has seen me, has seen the Father. Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me?” With these beautiful words, we come to understand, in a deeper way, the unity of Jesus with His Father. Philip helps us to peek into this mystery, and understand the one-ness of God.

After Jesus ascended into heaven. Philip went about preaching the Gospel in Asia, near Phrygia. Like St. Peter, and St. Andrew, he too was crucified.

St. James, also an apostle, is often called “James the less”, because he was younger than the other apostle James, known as, “James the greater”. He was a cousin of Jesus. His mother was a close relative of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

He was the first bishop of Jerusalem, and was present for the Council of Jerusalem, the first Church council. He later wrote his letter, which is now in the New Testament, called the Letter of St. James. In his letter, he spoke about temptations and difficulties of the early Christians, and he encouraged them to practice good moral living.

Saint Paul states, that after the resurrection, Our Blessed Lord appeared to James, first by himself, and then to the other apostles. Due to that very special encounter with the risen Lord, James must have cherished that appearance all his life. It must have given him courage to die a cruel death. He was thrown down from the terrace of the Temple in Jerusalem, and then stoned to death.

Today, let us ask saint Philip and saint James, to help us follow Jesus by living as good Christians.

And may the Mother of Jesus, She who is the cousin of St. James, help us to draw close to Our Blessed Lord in the Eucharist, knowing that if we look at the face of Jesus in the Eucharist, we will likewise see the face of His Father, who greatly loves us.