1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-8

I am reminding you, brothers and sisters, of the Gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures; that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. After that he appeared to James, then to all the Apostles. Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me.

JOHN 14:6-14

Jesus said to Thomas, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him." Philip said to him, “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? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it."

Philip and James were two of the twelve Apostles of Jesus. Philip met Jesus after he just invited Simon Peter and his brother, Andrew (Jn 1:35-51) and already then, Philip recognized Jesus’ divinity (“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” Jn 1:51).

In today’s first reading, Paul recounts James as one of the twelve who saw the resurrected Christ. James is believed to be a close relative of Jesus and his mother Mary, hence he is sometimes known as Jesus’ brother.

We not only revere James and Philip for their close affinity to Jesus but we also admire them for their work as missionary disciples after Jesus ascended into Heaven. Philip went to Asia to preach the Gospel and it is believed that he spent the rest of his life there. James remained in Jerusalem, gaining much respect as a distinguished member of the young Christian community. Paul conversed with him with regards to the Gospels and James even became the first Bishop of Jerusalem. James was eventually martyred for his faith.

When we need motivation to share our faith with others, we can pray to Philip and James for inspiration and guidance. For in their hearts we find the burning fire of Jesus. Let us ask them to share with us that fire as we strive to be disciples of our Lord.

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Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.

Have a good day!

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