Today May 3

Today is the double feast of Saints Philip and James. Now, you wouldn't think this feast day would be too controversial, but it kind of is. For today's James is James the Less (as in "St. James the Less Anglican Church" -- it's just not quite as C of E as the next church, I suppose!) -- less because either shorter or younger or both than St. James the Greater -- and today's James is the so-called "brother of the Lord." (Remember that flap about his alleged ossuary last year? Or a couple years ago?) This is not the place to discuss the intricacies of the meaning of "brother of the Lord," however. Suffice it to say that he was probably a first cousin. He is generally assumed to have been James, the son of Alphaeus, although he is sometimes conflated with James, son of Mary and brother of Joseph. And James of today is generally thought of as the author of the beautiful -- and eminently practical -- letter of James. "What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but not works? Can his faith save him? . . . Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead." Amen, brother. He was a defender of the poor -- the really poor, the materially poor, not just the "poor in spirit." Thank you, brother.

What I love about St. James is that he was just -- he gave to each man his due -- and "Oblias," that is, "bulwark of the people." Power to the people, man. :) The people. Okay, and best of all, "his knees became hard like a camel's, for he was continually bending the knee in worship to God and asking forgiveness for the people" -- Eusebius. I think he would called a saint for the hippies, too, for he never cut his hair, nor anointed himself with oil, nor bathed. Wow. I guess he and Benedict Joseph Labre could be friends as well.

He was first bishop of Jerusalem, renowned by all, and martyred for the faith -- by stoning. He may or may not have been thrown from the Temple tower first (Josephus says "no", Hegesippus says "yes.") But he died proclaiming the name of his savior, "Jesus", and graciously forgiving his enemies.

Of Philip we have nothing at all in the synoptics except for his name as one of the Twelve, but John mentions him several times. He it is who called Nathanael (aka Bartholomew), saying, "We have found him of whom Moses, in the law and the prophets did write" and after hearing Nathanael's dismissal "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" simply replied, "Come and see."

He also, in the feeding of the 5000, answered Jesus' query "Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat?" soberly: "Two hundred day's wages of bread is not sufficient for them that every one may take but a little." But Jesus went on to work a miracle with very little.

The Greeks who came to him (saying, "Sir, we would see Jesus") he brought to Jesus after consulting Andrew. All of which shows a straightforward and amiable guy.

But I always think of the old song when I hear Philip (at the Last Super) saying, "Show us the Father" and Jesus, sighing probably, replying "Have I been so long a time with you; and have you not known me?" the song that goes: "If you don't know me by now . . . "

Still, Philip was there to see the mighty resurrected Jesus, His Ascension and His sending of the Paraclete at Pentecost. He is thought to have preached in Phrygia and died in Hierapolis (by the most reliable sources), but whether he died a natural death (according to Heracleon) or a martyr's (according to Clement of Alexandria) is unclear. He had two daughters who followed the faith and lived out their days in virginity. Bishop Papias knew them personally. Saints Philip and James, pray for us.