Vigils Reading – SS Philip and James

SAINTS PHILIP AND JAMES

From the writings of Alban Butler4

Jesus, we are told, “found Philip” and said to him, “Follow me”… Though his knowledge was imperfect, so much so that he describes Jesus as “the son of Joseph of Nazareth”, he goes at once to find his friend Nathanael… and tells him, “We have found him of whom Moses, in the law and the prophets did write”, being plainly satisfied that this was in truth the <Messiah>. At the same time Philip gives proof of a sober discretion in his missionary zeal… When Nathanael objects, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” his answer is… “Come and see”… Another glimpse is afforded us… when on the evening before the Passion our Lord announced, “No man cometh to the Father but by me.”… Philip saith to Him: “Lord, show 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: Show us the Father?”

Apart from the fact that St Philip is named with the other apostles who spent ten days in the upper room awaiting the coming of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, this is all we know about him with any degree of certainty…

The apostle St James – the Less, or the younger – here associated with St Philip, is most commonly held to be the same individual who is variously designated “James, the son of Alpheus” and “James, the brother of the Lord”… Although no prominence is given to this James in the gospel narrative, we learn from St Paul that he was favoured with a special appearing of our Lord before the Ascension…

The story of his martyrdom… has been preserved by Eusebius, and runs as follows… There was an uproar among the Jews and scribes and pharisees, for they said: “There is danger that the whole people should expect Jesus as the Christ”. Coming together, therefore, they said to James: “We beseech thee, restrain the people, for they are gone astray unto Jesus, imagining that he is the Christ… Persuade the multitude that they go not astray… The scribes and pharisees set James upon the pinnacle of the temple…

And he replied with a loud voice: “Why ask ye me concerning the Son of Man, since He sitteth in Heaven on the right hand of the Mighty Power, and shall come on the clouds of Heaven?” And when many were fully persuaded and gave glory at the testimony of James and said: “Hosanna to the son of David”, then once more the same scribes and pharisees said among themselves: “We do ill in affording such a testimony to Jesus. Let us rather go up and cast him down, that being affrighted they may not believe him.”… Going up therefore they cast the Just One down… And they began to stone him, for the fall did not kill him. But turning he kneeled down and said: “I beseech thee, O Lord God, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”. And while they thus were stoning him, one of the priests… cried aloud, saying: “Cease ye; what do ye? The Just One is praying on your behalf.” And one of them, a fuller, took the stick with which he beat out the clothes, and brough it down on the Just One’s head. Thus he was martyred