HOMILY FOR THE 2ND FRIDAY IN EASTER — YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: “COME AND SEE!”
BY: Fr. Mike Lagrimas
Acts 5:34-42; Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14; John 6:1-15
Jesus said to Thomas, “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.” Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”
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Today we celebrate the feast of the Apostles James and Philip. The Gospels mention their names together in the list of apostles. Most probably this is the reason why they share the same feast day. They are among those Galileans who were so fortunate to have been personally chosen by Jesus as part of His intimate circle.
St. James is commonly referred to as ‘James the Less’ or ‘the Younger’, to distinguish him from James the Greater, the son of Zebedee and the brother of John. James the Less is specifically named as the son of Alphaeus. He was born in Cana, near Nazareth, and was a relative of Jesus, the son of a certain Mary (Mk 15:40), most likely Mary of Clopas, who stood at the foot of the cross together with the Mother of Jesus (Jn 19:25). He was one of the few persons who were given the privilege of a private appearance of the Risen Lord (1Cor 15:7). The Letter of James is attributed to him, and he held an important position in the Church of Jerusalem (Gal 1:18-19; 2:9; Acts 12:17).
St. Philip was a native of Bethsaida, a town along the Sea of Galilee. Jesus personally called him to be His follower (Jn 1:43). In turn, Philip invited Nathanael (Bartholomew) to follow Jesus: “Come and see!” (Jn 1:45). In the Gospel today, as Jesus explains to His disciples during the Last Supper that He has a place prepared for them in heaven, Philip intervenes with a request: “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
This request, though seemingly out of place, actually echoes the earnest appeal of Moses to God: “Please let me see your glory” (Ex 33:18). His request was granted, but he was able to see only the back of the Lord, for He said, “You cannot see my face, for no one can see me and live” (Ex 33:20).
And Jesus takes this request of Philip as an opportunity to explain His consubstantiality with the heavenly Father. In His teachings, He repeatedly tells His disciples, “The Father and I are one” (Jn 10:30). So, He chides Philip: “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” Jesus, in fact, is the primordial sacrament of the Father. Through the Mystery of the Incarnation, He has become the human face of God. This is precisely the reason why He declares, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
In the Gospel today, the verb “believe” is mentioned four times. Clearly, then, the theme is about believing in Jesus. He is not just a man. He is God in person, the Incarnate God. It is an invitation for all of us to open our eyes of faith, and see and believe, not only that He is God, but also that He is present in our midst, especially in the sacrament of the Eucharist.
It is said that one day, St. Teresa of Avila heard somebody say: “If only I had lived at the time of Jesus… If only I had seen Jesus… If only I had talked with Jesus…” The saint quickly replied: “But do we not have in the Eucharist the living, true and real Jesus present before us? Why look for more?”
St. John Chrysostom says the same thing: “How many of you say: I should like to see His face, His garments, His shoes. You do see Him, you touch Him, you eat Him. He gives Himself to you, not only that you may see Him, but also to be your food and nourishment.”
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