Sts. PHILIP & JAMES, APOSTLES. -------------- FEAST.
READINGS:
1 R : 1 Cor 15: 1 - 8.
Ps 18 : 2 - 3, 4 - 5.
Gos : Jn 14 : 6 - 14.
TODAY THE CHURCH CELEBRATES THE FEAST OF ST. PHILIP AND ST JAMES THE LESS, THE BROTHER OF ST. JUDE THADDAEUS.
ST. JAMES IS GENERALLY KNOWN AS THE COUSIN OF OUR LORD,HIS MOTHER MARY OF CLOPAS BEING A SISTER OF BLESSED VIRGIN. HE WAS THE FIRST BISHOP OF JERUSALEM. HE IS KNOWN FOR HIS CHARITY AND COURAGE UNDER THE PERSECUTION OF KING HEROD AGRIPPA. HE WAS MARTYRED BY BEING CAST DOWN FROM THE PARAPET OF THE TEMPLE AND KILLED WITH A FULLER'S CLUB .
ST. PHILIP WAS A NATIVE OF BETHSAIDA, ON THE SHORE OF LAKE GENESARETH. HE BROUGHT HIS FRIEND NATHANIEL TO JESUS. HIS TAG LINE TO NATHANIEL IS; " COME AND SEE ". HE PREACHED THE GOSPEL IN ASIA MINOR ALONG WITH HIS VIRGIN DAUGHTERS AND SUFFERED MARTYRDOM BY CRUCIFIXION AT HIERAPOLIS IN PHRYGIA.
THE ABOVE DETAILS ARE FOUND IN " SAINT COMPANIONS FOR EACH DAY " AND I AM INDEBTED TO THE AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS.
TODAY THE FIRST READING HAS A REFERENCE TO ST.JACOB WHERE ST. PAUL MENTIONS THE APPARITION OF JESUS TO ST. JACOB AFTER THE RESURRECTION.
IN THE GOSPEL, WE HAVE PHILIP ASKING JESUS TO SHOW THEM " THE FATHER " AND JESUS REVEALS ,
" THE ONE WHO HAS SEEN ME HAS ALSO SEEN THE FATHER "
A FEW OBSERVATIONS:
A. LESS IS KNOWN ABOUT MANY APOSTLES YET THEIR WORK HAS COME TO STAY. TODAY MORE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE " WORKERS " BUT HAS THEIR WORK COME TO STAY ???????????
B. TO SEE JESUS IS TO SEE THE FATHER. TO BE ' JESUS ' IS THE ONLY SURE WAY TO BE THE ' FATHER '. THIS IS ALSO SAID IN MATHEW AND LUKE BY JESUS, '' YOU SHOULD BE LIKE THE HEAVENLY FATHER................ WHO IS ALL PERFECT ..... ALL KIND... ALL GOOD. "
