Today is the feast of apostles Philip and James. Philip comes from
Bethsaida the same town of Peter and Andrew. He is one of the first
chosen disciples of Christ. He brought Nathaniel to meet Jesus. In
today’s discourse of Christ on his Father Philip asked him, “Lord, show
us the Father and it is enough.” Before the multiplication of the
loaves Jesus asked Philip where to buy bread to feed the multitude. He
answered, ” 200 denarii would only buy enough to give them a small
piece each.” To him also the Greek proselytes came in order to be
introduced to Jesus. There are also some accounts of Philip in the Acts
of the Apostles. Tradition established that he died a martyr in Phyrgia.
James is the son of Alphaeus, not James the son of Zebedee. He is known
as James the less and is also the author of the epistle. St. Paul
mentioned that James was favored by a special apparition of Christ
after the Resurrection. On the dispersion of the apostles among the
nations, James was left as Bishop of Jerusalem. Earliest Church
historians have handed down many traditions of his sanctity. He was
also known as James the Just.
When Paul escaped death the Jews took vengeance on James and stoned him
to death. The relics of both apostles lie side by side under the main
altar in Rome. We are reminded that holiness and its consequent
apostolate are entirely the gift of God and not human achievement. Even
the choice to accept God’s calling is also the gift of God.
