As I reflect on today’s gospel and the Feast of Sts. Philip and James, I realize I really don’t know very much about St. Philip.  I have decent knowledge of St. James  as I had children at St. James/Seton School in Omaha for about fifteen years!  If you read my reflections, you know I have a love for the saints.  So what about St. Philip?  St. Philip was one of the twelve apostles. He was called along with Andrew and Peter.  He was close to John the Baptist.  He was especially known for his cheerfulness and relationships with the people, He certainly kept good company.  He was at the wedding at Cana.  John tells us that Philip asked Jesus how to feed the 5,000.  Needless to say, he was very close to Jesus.  Jesus remarks “Philip, have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me?”

That brings us to the lesson of the day.  Jesus says:

“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.”

What does this mean?  I truly believe that this is Jesus inviting all to follow him.  If we know Jesus and follow him, we will be in favor with the Father.  Here’s the important thing…EVERYBODY has this opportunity to know Jesus!  And since we know how forgiving our Father is, we can also presume that if we don’t figure that out right away, likely we will receive some grace as we learn how to follow Jesus.  Even his closest friends question HIS statement.  Let’s learn from this interaction between Jesus and his friends and discern the best way to friend Jesus and allow him to serve as a model as we live our lives.

“Only let a little Divine Love into their hearts, and then you may leave them to themselves.”
                                                                                                                                                                    St. Philip