May 3, 2024 - Feast of St. Philip and St. James (Replacing Fri. of 5th Week of Easter)
May you continue to grow in your faith relationship with Jesus and His Abba-Father and may that growth strengthen you so that you can be a support for others in their becoming faithful followers of the Lord Jesus.
On a retreat that I helped present to the Elect (those who were to be baptized) on Holy Saturday, I referred to the fact that we know that Jesus died for us. Yet, I mentioned, that was not the end of the story. The story continues with Jesus’ resurrection. I also told the Elect that they had grown in their faith during their journey and their participation in the process known as the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults – Formerly Rite of Christian Initiation – RCIA). But their preparation journey to be fully initiated (that is to be baptized, confirmed, and receive First Eucharist) was not the end of their story. Their reception of sacraments, as the term “sacraments of initiation” implies, is only the beginning of their journey of faith within the community of believers. There is a lot of growth, knowledge, and action still ahead of them as they journey toward the place that Jesus and His Abba have prepared for them. This is true not only for those who were recently initiated into the Church, but for all of us. We know the story so far. And we know the end of the story, but there is still part of the story that we must live out and grow through as we continue our journey of faith.
This was true for the apostles, including Philip and James, whose feast we celebrated today.
I pray for all who call upon the patronage of Sts. Philip and James, whose who have then names of Phil, Philip, James, Jim, Jimmy, Jaime, etc.
May you continue to grow in your faith relationship with Jesus and His Abba-Father and may that growth strengthen you so that you can be a support for others in their becoming faithful followers of the Lord Jesus.
On a retreat that I helped present to the Elect (those who were to be baptized) on Holy Saturday, I referred to the fact that we know that Jesus died for us. Yet, I mentioned, that was not the end of the story. The story continues with Jesus’ resurrection. I also told the Elect that they had grown in their faith during their journey and their participation in the process known as the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults – Formerly Rite of Christian Initiation – RCIA). But their preparation journey to be fully initiated (that is to be baptized, confirmed, and receive First Eucharist) was not the end of their story. Their reception of sacraments, as the term “sacraments of initiation” implies, is only the beginning of their journey of faith within the community of believers. There is a lot of growth, knowledge, and action still ahead of them as they journey toward the place that Jesus and His Abba have prepared for them. This is true not only for those who were recently initiated into the Church, but for all of us. We know the story so far. And we know the end of the story, but there is still part of the story that we must live out and grow through as we continue our journey of faith.
This was true for the apostles, including Philip and James, whose feast we celebrated today.
I pray for all who call upon the patronage of Sts. Philip and James, whose who have then names of Phil, Philip, James, Jim, Jimmy, Jaime, etc.
Readings can be obtained from: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/050324.cfm
Saints Philip and James: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saints-philip-and-james
Readings: 1 Corinthians 15: 1-8; Psalm 19: 2-3, 4-5; John 14: 6-14
Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Philip and St. James (the Lesser). Little is known about these two apostles. Philip is mentioned more often in the Gospels than James. St. James is not the James who is the brother of St. John the Apostle. Philip is often portrayed in scripture as the one who does not fully understand or grasp what Jesus is all about.
In St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, he mentions the key events in the life of Jesus: Christ suffered for our sins, died, and was raised up, and then He appeared to the apostles and other early believers, eventually appearing even to Paul. It is upon the faith of these eyewitnesses that the Church has been built. The apostles are the foundation of this edifice. We, the other building blocks in the Church, have all been built on these foundation stones and we become the support of those who are built upon us.
The Gospel relates Philip’s questions of Jesus at the Last Supper. Jesus has just told His followers that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that no one comes to His Abba-Father except through Jesus Himself. Philip asks Jesus to show them the Abba. Jesus replies: “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you still do not know me, Philip?”
I continue to be in awe of the plan of GOD as revealed by Jesus. Jesus chooses as His apostles those individuals with whom we can identify. Jesus could have chosen people who were almost perfect, or at least individuals whom the world would admire as “superpersons.” Yet He selected individuals who were just like us. James we only know by name and little else. Like James, after our lives, probably, most of us will be known by only a few people of our generation, and only by our name, if that. Most of us will not have our names in history books. Yet, James was a disciple, an apostle, a follower of Jesus. In a similar way we are called to be disciples, apostles, and followers of Jesus, not seeking to have our names written in human history books, but in the Book of Life, that is known by GOD and all those who share in the eternal life in heaven.
Philip, when he is mentioned in the Gospel, is either being asked a question by Jesus (as we hear in the John 6: 1-15) or asks a question of Jesus that shows that he has not yet fully grasped the mission and ministry of Jesus. How often we are like Philip. Jesus asks us, as He did Philip, “How are you going to care for others?” (John 6: 6-7) We are often overwhelmed with the enormity of the situation of caring for everyone. We think we have to do it by ourselves, rather than trust that Jesus already knows what He is going to do and is just asking the question of us to see if we trust Him enough to see us through the situation. At other times we question Jesus. We want to see the full picture, just as Philip wanted Jesus to reveal His Abba (John 14: 6-9 - from today’s Gospel). We do not realize, just as Philip did not realize, that if we keep our eyes focused on Jesus, then we will see more than we can ever desire, hope for, or imagine.
The Gospel today ends with words that we must make part of our lives. Jesus address His disciples (the first apostles and also us), saying: “Whoever believes in Me will do the works that I do, and greater ones than these. . .And whatever you ask in My name, I will do. . .If you ask anything of Me in My name, I will do it.”
What a great promise Jesus has given us. How blessed we are. Yet, we cannot fully understand that because we are still growing and developing. As we celebrate today’s feast of Saints James and Philip, we are once again reminded that following Jesus is not a one-time thing. We do not have it all as soon as we make the original decision to follow Jesus. The journey to Jesus’ Abba (the journey on which Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life) is a process – a life-long process. GOD is not finished with us yet, just because we say, “I will follow Jesus.” We will continue to grow and develop as the apostles did. We will miss the point over and over again. We may not have our whole life stories remembered, but that is not the point of life. The point of life is to journey along with Jesus as He leads us to the home of His Abba, Whom He has given to us as our Abba, and Who happens to be GOD. As long as GOD “knows” us as belonging to the Lord Jesus, it does not matter if anyone else ever remembers us.
Blessed are You, LORD GOD, ever loving and ever patient. Through Your GOoDness, You continue to call people to follow Your Son as He leads us back to You. We often begin to follow, but we don’t understand the full impact of what Jesus has come to share with us. Jesus asks us questions to see if we are starting to understand His message. We often ask questions that show we have not yet fully grasped the GOoD News that Jesus has come to bring to us. As we journey along, You continue to raise individuals as role models, as Your Son did in calling the apostles James and Philip. They are not role models because they had it all together, but because they grew in appreciation of the message of Your Son and His revelation of You to them. May we be edified by their example, and may we be lifted up by their being the foundation and role models of our believing. Through the continuing presence of Your Holy Spirit, inspire us to support those who come after us as they are being built into the edifice of Your church. We ask this in Jesus’ name, since He promised that He would give us whatever we ask in His name, for He is our Lord and Master, He is Your Son and our Brother, Who is living and reigning with You and the Holy Spirit, our one and only GOD, for ever and ever. Amen. Alleluia!
Song of the Day: I’m Following Jesus by Rob Biagi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORJTyHjh2gg
Lead Me, Lord by Gary Valenciano: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QgdQPGjen4
Video of the Day: St. James the Less: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik2hfFkLwj0
Saints Philip and James: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q35hSWQup4
© rjk, 12-04-22
Saints Philip and James: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saints-philip-and-james
Readings: 1 Corinthians 15: 1-8; Psalm 19: 2-3, 4-5; John 14: 6-14
Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Philip and St. James (the Lesser). Little is known about these two apostles. Philip is mentioned more often in the Gospels than James. St. James is not the James who is the brother of St. John the Apostle. Philip is often portrayed in scripture as the one who does not fully understand or grasp what Jesus is all about.
In St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, he mentions the key events in the life of Jesus: Christ suffered for our sins, died, and was raised up, and then He appeared to the apostles and other early believers, eventually appearing even to Paul. It is upon the faith of these eyewitnesses that the Church has been built. The apostles are the foundation of this edifice. We, the other building blocks in the Church, have all been built on these foundation stones and we become the support of those who are built upon us.
The Gospel relates Philip’s questions of Jesus at the Last Supper. Jesus has just told His followers that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that no one comes to His Abba-Father except through Jesus Himself. Philip asks Jesus to show them the Abba. Jesus replies: “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you still do not know me, Philip?”
I continue to be in awe of the plan of GOD as revealed by Jesus. Jesus chooses as His apostles those individuals with whom we can identify. Jesus could have chosen people who were almost perfect, or at least individuals whom the world would admire as “superpersons.” Yet He selected individuals who were just like us. James we only know by name and little else. Like James, after our lives, probably, most of us will be known by only a few people of our generation, and only by our name, if that. Most of us will not have our names in history books. Yet, James was a disciple, an apostle, a follower of Jesus. In a similar way we are called to be disciples, apostles, and followers of Jesus, not seeking to have our names written in human history books, but in the Book of Life, that is known by GOD and all those who share in the eternal life in heaven.
Philip, when he is mentioned in the Gospel, is either being asked a question by Jesus (as we hear in the John 6: 1-15) or asks a question of Jesus that shows that he has not yet fully grasped the mission and ministry of Jesus. How often we are like Philip. Jesus asks us, as He did Philip, “How are you going to care for others?” (John 6: 6-7) We are often overwhelmed with the enormity of the situation of caring for everyone. We think we have to do it by ourselves, rather than trust that Jesus already knows what He is going to do and is just asking the question of us to see if we trust Him enough to see us through the situation. At other times we question Jesus. We want to see the full picture, just as Philip wanted Jesus to reveal His Abba (John 14: 6-9 - from today’s Gospel). We do not realize, just as Philip did not realize, that if we keep our eyes focused on Jesus, then we will see more than we can ever desire, hope for, or imagine.
The Gospel today ends with words that we must make part of our lives. Jesus address His disciples (the first apostles and also us), saying: “Whoever believes in Me will do the works that I do, and greater ones than these. . .And whatever you ask in My name, I will do. . .If you ask anything of Me in My name, I will do it.”
What a great promise Jesus has given us. How blessed we are. Yet, we cannot fully understand that because we are still growing and developing. As we celebrate today’s feast of Saints James and Philip, we are once again reminded that following Jesus is not a one-time thing. We do not have it all as soon as we make the original decision to follow Jesus. The journey to Jesus’ Abba (the journey on which Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life) is a process – a life-long process. GOD is not finished with us yet, just because we say, “I will follow Jesus.” We will continue to grow and develop as the apostles did. We will miss the point over and over again. We may not have our whole life stories remembered, but that is not the point of life. The point of life is to journey along with Jesus as He leads us to the home of His Abba, Whom He has given to us as our Abba, and Who happens to be GOD. As long as GOD “knows” us as belonging to the Lord Jesus, it does not matter if anyone else ever remembers us.
- The personal question/action for today: When I think about my passing from this life to the next, for what would I like to be remembered by those whom I leave behind? When I struggle with understanding what the Lord Jesus wants of me, do I ask Him, and truly listen to the response that He gives me through scripture, my prayer time, and the words of others? How can I be a better building block for those stones who will come after me or who rely on me so that they can be built into the household of GOD?
Blessed are You, LORD GOD, ever loving and ever patient. Through Your GOoDness, You continue to call people to follow Your Son as He leads us back to You. We often begin to follow, but we don’t understand the full impact of what Jesus has come to share with us. Jesus asks us questions to see if we are starting to understand His message. We often ask questions that show we have not yet fully grasped the GOoD News that Jesus has come to bring to us. As we journey along, You continue to raise individuals as role models, as Your Son did in calling the apostles James and Philip. They are not role models because they had it all together, but because they grew in appreciation of the message of Your Son and His revelation of You to them. May we be edified by their example, and may we be lifted up by their being the foundation and role models of our believing. Through the continuing presence of Your Holy Spirit, inspire us to support those who come after us as they are being built into the edifice of Your church. We ask this in Jesus’ name, since He promised that He would give us whatever we ask in His name, for He is our Lord and Master, He is Your Son and our Brother, Who is living and reigning with You and the Holy Spirit, our one and only GOD, for ever and ever. Amen. Alleluia!
Song of the Day: I’m Following Jesus by Rob Biagi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORJTyHjh2gg
Lead Me, Lord by Gary Valenciano: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QgdQPGjen4
Video of the Day: St. James the Less: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik2hfFkLwj0
Saints Philip and James: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q35hSWQup4
© rjk, 12-04-22