Feasts of Saints Philip and James, Apostles
In true Catholic fashion, the feast of an Apostle is celebrated by choosing a less than flattering reading about him, Philip doesn't get any special treatment. In John’s gospel today we see Philip getting corrected by Jesus. Scripture reads, “Philip said to [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 time and 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? ... ‘Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these’” (John 14:8-10, 12). If Jesus hadn’t continued talking, I imagine there would have been a long uncomfortable silence in the room after he corrected Philip. I mean Jesus is throwing around some pretty theologically heavy stuff right there and just to add to that, he is calling them far beyond their expectations. He is not only responding to Philip’s request, but also grabbing Philip by the proverbial collar and saying, “That will be enough for you? Do you know what is in store for you! Don’t sell God short!”
So that is where I am today, digesting this idea of selling God short and I’m called to reflect on where I do that in my own discipleship. I know I do that in my prayer life. I think about the countless times that I have prayed fervently for one specific intention and the incredibly sparse times that I have prayed fervently for an openness to wherever God wishes to lead me.
I know I can sell God short when it comes to His mercy with my irregular attendance of Confession. Sure, I only NEED to go when I’m in the state of mortal sin, but the tangible experience of the boundless mercy of God invigorates my spiritual life.
Finally, I can sell God short in the Eucharist. I have had some powerful encounters with the Risen Lord in the Eucharist. Some occurred during Mass and some occurred in Adoration. I sell God short though, because I can cling to those encounters like a leash that keeps me coming back instead of stepping stone to deeper encounters with Christ. I can tell myself, “You’re not going to have those experiences every time, be grateful for the ones you’ve had.” Which is a lie hidden by a truth. Yes, I will not have the same emotional connection to the Eucharist where I have this feeling of certitude and consuming love, but I will always encounter the Lord there and of that I can be certain.
So, I don’t know where you are. I don’t know if you can relate. But give it a shot, take a step back, and speak to Jesus. Like Philip, tell him where you think your “enough” line is, and allow him to draw you past it. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you where you are selling God short.
—Spencer Hargadon