One Lord; One Faith!

THE WORD AND THE SAINTS

May 3, 2025: Celebrating Apostles Philip and James

1 Corinthians 15:1-8; John 14:6-14

The Word calls our attention to the mention of the names of the Apostles whom we celebrate today: James and Philip.

The James we speak of here is not James the son of Zebedee, the one who was among the closest three namely - Peter, James and John, and later became the Bishop of Jerusalem. But the James referred to here is the son of Alphaeus, who is for the sake of differentiating, known as James the lesser! Though that term is odd, it brings out the fact that he was among the 'less prominent bunch' of the Apostles but however he was one of the 12 pillars and Jesus appeared to him!

Philip is seen in the Gospel today inducing Jesus to make some intense pronouncements about himself and the Father! Though Jesus seems to be getting upset with Philip, it was necessary for the rest of the apostles too, to get clarified about things Jesus wanted them to. Philip is also seen in two other places - at the scene of multiplication of the bread (bringing the boy with five loaves and two fishes to Jesus) and later when some Greeks wish to see Jesus, bringing them along. Earlier he had brought Nathaniel too; in short, he was fond of bringing people to Jesus!

The Feast can communicate three realities that can help our faith communities today.

1: That differences are natural when a group of persons are involved. The differences are not only inevitable but they are beautiful to paint a holistic picture.

2: That differences do not mean division, or comparison or envy. That Philip and James and some others were not so prominent, never caused a rift among the apostles. They were able to live united in the Lord.

3. Each one has a specific call within the entire design of God and when one fails to play his role, however little and insignificant it could be, there is a lack in the whole!

The message is clear: avoid comparisons; avoid envy; realise the one call and remain united in the Lord! One Lord, one faith is our identity in the Risen Christ. 

Listening to grow - openness and Godliness

WORD 2day: Friday, 2nd week in Easter time

May 2, 2025 -  Acts 5: 27-33; John 3: 31-36

pc: Cecilia Paredes

We are reflecting on the charachteristic traits of the first Christian community that grew directly out of the Resurrection experience, offering itself to us as an example and challenge for us to realise our call to be Easter people, or the People of the Ressurection. 

The message that we have today comes from an indirect source, from a Jewish Rabbi Gamaliel, a learned man and seemingly an authentic person of God. Although he does not speak directly about the people but about Jesus, he presents to us a very pertinent reflection to understand a crucial trait of the people, of the first Christians. He instructs his own Jewish colleagues not to worry too much about destroying the movement initiated by Christ, saying it would die by itself if it were not founded on truth. The corollary is what matters to us - if the movement has not died, it is clear that our faith is founded on the truth of Resurrection. 

The lesson not to close their minds to the possibility of truth in the faith of the new grouped people, is a lesson to us too: not to close our minds to anyone around us who wishes in all his or her sincerity to share one's own experience and conviction. The Lord may speak to us through the person. When we are open and listening, we shall see a God-given scope to grow... just as the few loaves of bread multiplied themselves into a great feast for a great number, just as a handful who believed in Christ multiplied into a vast community of faith that would change the face of the earth very soon!

Listening to the Lord from any corner of our times, is an important trait of the people of God... that openness amounts to Godliness and a real experience of growth and fullness!