Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles
In this feast we celebrate those who shared with others the Lord Jesus whom they had seen. Saint James, the son of Alphaeus, also called the brother of the Lord, is mentioned in the first reading as one to whom Christ appeared after the resurrection. In this brief list that Saint Paul gives, we do not hear any of the details of the appearance; nothing about what Our Lord said or did. What we do hear is that Christ, risen from the dead, appeared to James (as He had appeared to more than five hundred at once). And this particular encounter with the risen Lord, known to the early Church, was so important that the memory of it has been preserved through this letter to this day. We know that James, son of Alphaeus, was one of the twelve apostles. He is traditionally taken to be the James who was the first bishop of Jerusalem and the author of the New Testament letter which bears his name. Yet, how beautiful it is that on his feast, the mark of distinction that he is remembered for is this privileged, mysterious encounter with the Risen Lord.
Today we also celebrate Saint Philip the Apostle, whom in the Gospel hears some of the most self-revelatory words spoken by Jesus: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9) This is the faith which the apostle goes into the world to share, that God has come to dwell among us so that we may come to know Him, to believe in Him, and to dwell with Him forever. Saint Philip gave his life for Jesus who had shown him so profoundly the face, the mercy, the presence of the Father. May these two blessed apostles intercede for us that we may welcome as they did Christ who came to them, that we may listen as they did to Christ who called them, so that we may see some day as they have Christ, risen from the dead, who shows us the very face of God.