Throughout the Gospels we see the doubts, questions, misgiving, errors, worries, and musings of the apostles. Overall, we see that their reactions are not that different than our own. Their humanity is the same as ours.
The night of the Last Supper right after the washing of the feet, Jesus begins a sort of farewell message, a last teaching. In that moment Philip so full of that initial enthusiasm that we all know and have felt, that he interrupts Jesus’ message and asks Jesus to give them a direct revelation of God. Philip is showing a very deep faith by believing that Jesus could do that. Jesus is quick to point out that in his person they had been seeing God all along.
Then Jesus speaks clearly of his communion with God the Father. The center of his last catechesis is the importance of service and community. This will lead them to live as Jesus lives. Serve as he served. The disciple lives on in the communion of Jesus with the Father and lives as Jesus lived. Jesus even says that a disciple will be able to do greater works than He did. This is startling and challenging to me. The work of Jesus was obedience to the will of the Father and communion with the Father. That lead to his victory over sin and death.
Philip and James, along with the other apostles lived that victory through their service and new life. Philip began to announce his faith from the first moment he met Jesus by bringing other disciples to meet Jesus. Tradition holds that Philip, after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, traveled to what we now call Turkey to preach the Gospel. James, a relative of Jesus, became the leader (bishop) of the church in Jerusalem. Both dedicated their lives to the Gospel. Jesus’ victory over sin and death shines in the works and lives of Philip and James.
Today during this Easter season, we listen to the Word of God and reflect on the lives of these two apostles. We must ask ourselves if we are living out the challenge that Jesus announced during the Last Supper.
Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do.
Image: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/sts-philip-and-james-the-less-apostles-473