The Church celebrates the Feast of Ss. Philip and James the Lesser. They are Apostles not as well-known as Peter. If we divide the apostle list into groups of four, Philip is located in the second group and James the third.
We get to know more about Philip in the gospel of John. After following Jesus, Philip brought Nathaniel to the Lord (John 1:43-45). In the miracle of multiplication of bread, Jesus tested Philip, asking him how to feed the multitude (John 6:5-7). It was Philip whom the Greeks in Jerusalem approached in order to gain access to Jesus (John 12:20-21). In the Last Supper, Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father (John 14:8-9). Other than these bits of information, we know very little about the life of this apostle. The impression we have gathered suggests that Philip provided an inroad for the Gentiles to come to Jesus. Like Philip, all Christians should be guides showing the way to the source of eternal life.
Tradition has it that he evangelized in Greece and died a martyr, crucified upside down.
There are many Jameses in the New Testament. But this James was not the brother of John. He was another James. If he was the brother of the Lord, then he was James, the bishop of the Jerusalem Church. Probably, he rose to power to fill the void left by James the brother of John who was killed by Herod; and Peter who fled when this same Herod attempted his life to please the Jews (Acts 12:1-3). In the Jerusalem Council to decide on the issue of exempting Gentile believers from circumcision and the observance of Jewish ritual, James had the final say to support Peter and Paul. James was clear-headed enough not to allow one side to win out hands down. He managed to drum up a compromise which was not too much a burden to the Gentiles and at the same time, retaining the dignity of the offended Jewish Christians. Like James, all Christians should be ambassadors of reconciliation, resolving conflicts into a win-win situation. An epistle of James is ascribed to him.
Tradition has it that he was clubbed to death by the Jews in 62 A.D.
Though less well-known as Peter and John, both Philip and James the Lesser had made good use of their charisma from God to build up the early Church.
We get to know more about Philip in the gospel of John. After following Jesus, Philip brought Nathaniel to the Lord (John 1:43-45). In the miracle of multiplication of bread, Jesus tested Philip, asking him how to feed the multitude (John 6:5-7). It was Philip whom the Greeks in Jerusalem approached in order to gain access to Jesus (John 12:20-21). In the Last Supper, Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father (John 14:8-9). Other than these bits of information, we know very little about the life of this apostle. The impression we have gathered suggests that Philip provided an inroad for the Gentiles to come to Jesus. Like Philip, all Christians should be guides showing the way to the source of eternal life.
Tradition has it that he evangelized in Greece and died a martyr, crucified upside down.
There are many Jameses in the New Testament. But this James was not the brother of John. He was another James. If he was the brother of the Lord, then he was James, the bishop of the Jerusalem Church. Probably, he rose to power to fill the void left by James the brother of John who was killed by Herod; and Peter who fled when this same Herod attempted his life to please the Jews (Acts 12:1-3). In the Jerusalem Council to decide on the issue of exempting Gentile believers from circumcision and the observance of Jewish ritual, James had the final say to support Peter and Paul. James was clear-headed enough not to allow one side to win out hands down. He managed to drum up a compromise which was not too much a burden to the Gentiles and at the same time, retaining the dignity of the offended Jewish Christians. Like James, all Christians should be ambassadors of reconciliation, resolving conflicts into a win-win situation. An epistle of James is ascribed to him.
Tradition has it that he was clubbed to death by the Jews in 62 A.D.
Though less well-known as Peter and John, both Philip and James the Lesser had made good use of their charisma from God to build up the early Church.
In the reading today, we read of Paul's major thesis of resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15. We may be puzzled why the Corinthians had difficulty accepting bodily resurrection. They were not alone. Throughout the Greek world where people subscribed to Platonism, resurrection was problematic. They believed that the soul was imprisoned in the body. Therefore, death was a liberation for the soul which is immortal. Therefore, it would be absurd for the soul to be imprisoned once more in the resurrected body. The Athenians rejected this teaching of Paul in Acts 17:32. The Corinthians were no exception. Therefore, Paul tried to explain this central Christian thesis in a systematic manner. This belief is central because our salvation hinges upon it.
Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand,
by which you are saved, if you hold it fast -- unless you believed in vain.
For I delivered 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 (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
What was the evidence? No. There was no physical evidence because Jesus had risen from the dead and therefore had left nothing behind. The only evidence was the witnesses to his apparitions afterwards. Jesus appeared to Peter, to the Twelve, to more than 500 at one time, to James, to all the apostles and last but not least, to Paul himself (1 Corinthians 15:5-8).
Paul's 500 does not match with that of Luke's 120 in Acts. Perhaps 380 of them had witnessed but failed to hold fast to the apparition. They had given up their faith for whatever reasons. Therefore, miracles may not be the most effective way to convert people to Christianity. Something else counts.
Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand,
by which you are saved, if you hold it fast -- unless you believed in vain.
For I delivered 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 (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
What was the evidence? No. There was no physical evidence because Jesus had risen from the dead and therefore had left nothing behind. The only evidence was the witnesses to his apparitions afterwards. Jesus appeared to Peter, to the Twelve, to more than 500 at one time, to James, to all the apostles and last but not least, to Paul himself (1 Corinthians 15:5-8).
Paul's 500 does not match with that of Luke's 120 in Acts. Perhaps 380 of them had witnessed but failed to hold fast to the apparition. They had given up their faith for whatever reasons. Therefore, miracles may not be the most effective way to convert people to Christianity. Something else counts.
Dear Lord, teach us the right way to bear witness to Your resurrection, our salvation. May our lives be living proof to Your glorious resurrection. Ss. Philip and James. Pray for us. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment