Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles
Today in the midst of this Easter season we celebrate the feast of two of the twelve apostles – Philip and James. These apostles experienced Jesus first-hand; they lived alongside him. For us, living so many years after Christ, we might rightly envy their proximity to Jesus. But at the same time, we might also note that being close to Jesus did not always make things as easy for the apostles as we would assume.
Today’s gospel passage from John is a great example of this. Jesus is trying to communicate to his followers that he is God, that he is one with the Father whom they know and love. Philip, however, does not understand this. Jesus’ question to him almost seems one of indignation. How could Philip be a student, a disciple of Jesus, dedicating his life to become like Jesus and yet not recognize who Jesus was?
It is certainly a testament to the humanity of Jesus. Although he could perform signs and miracles, Jesus was not a dominant, dramatic person. No, Jesus was their friend, a master who acted as a servant when he washed their feet. For many of the apostles, the clarity most likely came to them following Jesus’ crucifixion, when Jesus rose from the dead and walked among them again, speaking with them and sharing meals. This is why Paul, in today’s passage from the first letter to the Corinthians, emphasizes that Jesus not only died and was buried, but rose from the dead and even appeared to people, including the apostle James that we celebrate today.
It was certainly then – when they encountered the risen Lord – that the apostles understood their ministry anew. They were to be messengers of the Christ crucified and resurrected; they were to share the gospel message with the world. And despite their earlier confusion, doubt, and hesitancy, the apostles truly became the people they were called by Christ to be. Like Paul, they handed on the gospel as they had received it. They endured persecution and even martyrdom, all for spreading the name of Christ. We too are sharers in this story. While we did not literally walk with Jesus as did Philip and James, we know and treasure all that the gospel teaches us. And while Philip and James died long ago, their apostolic labor must continue today in our own hands. We are not left alone in this endeavor. No, Jesus is still with us today, present in many forms, most especially the Eucharist.
We have been given the Holy Spirit to continue to strengthen the Church. And these great apostles, Philip and James, continue to pray for us and with us, joining us at our celebration of the Mass and guiding us to live apostolic lives that continue to witness to Christ crucified and risen. As this Easter season continues, let us continue to walk with the risen Lord, and with Philip and James who encountered him. If the world is to know the joy of the resurrection, it must be through us who celebrate our salvation and rejoice in God’s mercy. Today, let us witness to this joyfulness by the smiles on our faces and the concern and compassion and patience for all we meet.
- Maria Morrow