May 3 - Sts. Philip and James

+ St. Philip was a Jew with a Greek name who grew up on the north end of the Sea of Galilee in a place called: “Fish House” (Bethsaida). He may have been named for the Roman tetrarch Philip who governed the area for a decade and turned Bethsaida into a prosperous international community.

Philip was a faithful Jew who waited expectantly for the promised Messiah from God. With other fishermen, he went down to the Jordan River to hear John the Baptist. Philip was spiritually prepared to respond to Jesus Christ’s invitation, - “Follow me.”

It was the new apostle Philip, who ran breathlessly to Nathanael saying, “We have found him!” But it was also practically minded Philip who assessed the situation and told Jesus: “Not even with a half a year’s salary could we afford to buy these people [the 5000] even a mouthful of food to eat.” And again, at the Last Supper, Philip remarks to a frustrated Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father and we will be satisfied!” He, and the others just did not yet understand that he and Father are One? and that he, himself, was the “enfleshment” of the One God’s very speech!

We do not know much about this James, called the Less. He may have been called thus to distinguish him from James the brother of John, sons of Zebedee. But others say it was because he was small of stature. In either case he was very large and generous of heart in responding to Christ’s call to bring the Gospel to the nations after the Ascension and Pentecost events.

He along with Philip and the rest of the Twelve suffered a martyr’s’ death, in imitation of and identification with the King of Martyrs – and Redeemer of the World: Jesus Christ.

For millennia this Jesus story (which they saw by sight, but we see by faith) has been told, and the sacraments instituted by Christ have been celebrated, and the life of the mystical Body of Christ has survived in varying states of glory and disrepair. Each of us has been called to respond with love and generosity to the Holy Spirit’s refreshing revitalizing plan for the Church that is underway right now under the Spirit-filled leadership of our Holy Father Pope Francis, and our own bishop, Barry.

I know that on this anniversary of my ordination I rededicate myself to the leadership role that I still possess as a retired priest, to be an apostle of mercy, an apostle of peace, and apostle of truth, an apostle of justice, and I invite you as other ordained, or baptized and confirmed members of the Body of Christ to rededicate yourself to your role as well!

And on this day, I also rededicate myself to my role as Abbot-Guardian of the Joyful Servants of the Cross (of the Nuptial Observance) – a congregation of religious that was formed by the working of the Holy Spirit, beginning in 2005, and which with the continued grace of God will find its fulfillment in the joy, hope and peace of the Eternal Wedding Banquet that awaits us all – God will marry his Son, to His Church, and all will be well, forever.

Let us continue to lift high the Cross of Christ – and may we remember that because of his Death and Resurrection –

the red Cross of Suffering

can always be turned into a

Gold cross of Victory!

Amen! Alleluia!