✝️Today the Church commemorates St. Philip, a native of Bethsaida and one of the first disciples called by Christ, known for his dialogue with the Lord at the Last Supper about seeing the Father. Along with him, we celebrate St. James the Less, the son of Alphaeus, who became the first Bishop of Jerusalem and is the author of the canonical epistle bearing his name. Both sealed their apostolate with martyrdom, bearing witness to the truth of Christ, whom they proclaimed as "the way, the truth, and the life."
🙏Introit
(Nehemiah 9:27) They cried to thee, O Lord, in the time of their affliction, and thou didst hear them from heaven, alleluia, alleluia. (Psalm 32:1) Rejoice in the Lord, O ye just: praise becometh the upright.
📖Reading (Wisdom 5:1-5)
Then shall the just stand with great constancy against those that have afflicted them, and taken away their labours. These seeing it, shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the suddenness of their unexpected salvation. Saying within themselves, repenting, and groaning for anguish of spirit: These are they, whom we had sometimes in derision, and for a parable of reproach. We fools esteemed their life madness, and their end without honour. Behold how they are numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints.
✨Gospel (John 14:1-13)
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many mansions. If not, I would have told you: because I go to prepare a place for you. And if I shall go, and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will take you to myself; that where I am, you also may be. And whither I go you know, and the way you know. Thomas saith to him: Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would without doubt have known my Father also: and from henceforth you shall know him, and you have seen him. Philip saith to him: Lord, shew us the Father, and it is enough for us. Jesus saith to him: Have I been so long a time with you; and have you not known me? Philip, he that seeth me seeth the Father also. How sayest thou, Shew us the Father? Do you not believe, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak to you, I speak not of myself. But the Father who abideth in me, he doth the works. Believe you not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? Otherwise believe for the very works' sake. Amen, amen I say to you, he that believeth in me, the works that I do, he also shall do; and greater than these shall he do. Because I go to the Father. And whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, that will I do.
🤔Reflections
📜Philip's question, "Show us the Father," gave Christ the opportunity to reveal the central mystery of the faith: the substantial unity between Himself and the Father. This revelation is the foundation of the hope of the just, who, as the Reading from Wisdom describes, will be vindicated. The promise of "many mansions" does not refer to a physical place, but to communion with God itself, prepared by Christ's Passion and Ascension. "For the Lord Himself is our mansion; He goes to prepare it by preparing those who are to dwell there." (St. Augustine, Tractate on the Gospel of John 68, 2). The statement "he who sees me sees the Father also" does not mean an identity of persons, but a unity of nature; the Son is the perfect image of the invisible Father. "He who is equal by nature shows His equality, but if He were inferior, He could not show the Father. He said to Philip, who desired to see the Father: 'He who sees me sees the Father,' not meaning that He Himself is both Father and Son, but that the Son in no way differs from the Father." (St. Ambrose, On the Christian Faith, Book I, Chapter 5).
🗺️The Gospel of John is distinguished from the Synoptics by its extensive "Farewell Discourse" at the Last Supper, of which this passage is a part. While Matthew, Mark, and Luke focus on the institution of the Eucharist, Judas's betrayal, and Peter's denial, John delves into the theological significance of Jesus' departure. The other evangelists do not record this specific dialogue with Thomas and Philip, nor Jesus' explicit self-identification as "the way, the truth, and the life." The promise to prepare a place and return to take the disciples is unique to John, offering a more intimate and mystical perspective on the future union with God, in contrast to the more judicial promise in Luke that the apostles would judge the twelve tribes of Israel.
✉️Pauline theology profoundly echoes and expands upon the themes presented in today's Gospel. Christ's declaration "he who sees me sees the Father also" finds its dogmatic parallel in Colossians 1:15, where St. Paul describes the Son as "the image of the invisible God." The affirmation "no one comes to the Father but by me" is the basis of Paul's soteriology, who in Ephesians 2:18 teaches that "through him [Christ] we both [Jews and Gentiles] have access to the Father in one Spirit." Furthermore, Jesus' promise that His followers will do "even greater works" resonates with the Pauline concept of the Body of Christ, in which the members, empowered by the Holy Spirit, continue and expand Christ's salvific mission in history (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:27).
🏛️The great Creeds of the Church dogmatically formalize the truth revealed by Christ to Philip. The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, by confessing the Son as "God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father," provides the precise language for the statement "I am in the Father and the Father is in me." Similarly, the Athanasian Creed elaborates on the Trinity, affirming the unity of essence and the distinction of Persons, which prevents a Modalistic interpretation (that the Father and Son are merely different "modes" of the same being) of Jesus' declaration. These documents solidify the apostolic faith, defending the mystery that Philip and James preached and for which they died.
🧐See English articles here.
