THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE - 05/03/22 (Feast of St. James and St. Philip)

1 Corinthians 15:1-2

1 Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, 2 by which you are saved, if you hold it fast -- unless you believed in vain.

John 14:6,8,13

6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me.

8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied." 

13 Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son;

For the full readings, click here: 

https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/daily-readings

For more information on St. James and St. Philip, click here:

https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/may-3---saints-philip-and-james-apostles/

Blessed Feast Day of St. James and St. Philip! In our gospel reading for today, we read a famous quote by Jesus that is recognized by many Christians. It's the statement, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." The three words that Jesus use to describe Himself are "Way", "Truth", and "Life." What do these words mean?

First, Jesus Christ is our Way to the Father. He is our Mediator, the God-Man who offered Himself on the Cross for our salvation. Without His Incarnation, Passion, Death and Resurrection, we do not have the hope of entering heaven. This is why Jesus tells us that He will do whatever we ask in His name. However, let's remember that prayer is not a wish that will instantaneously be granted. When we make requests about temporal goods, such as being accepted in a job, having good grades in school, being healed from illness, etc, what happens is something that we should accept even if God's will is different from what we want. Rather, prayers for temporal goods are opportunities to be fully dependent on God's plan for us. At the same time, we should always pray with confidence for the graces to grow in virtue and to avoid sins. As we pray, it's not enough that we do nothing. We need to cooperate with God's graces for us to truly glorify God. It's not enough to pray for the grace of chastity, humility, and other graces if we do not stay away from occasions of sins that tempt us to commit lust or if we continuously belittle other people.

Second, Jesus Christ is the Truth. The truth does not exist outside of our Lord. Because of this, we should not be looking for secular and anti-Christian perspectives on what is right and what is wrong. The truth sets us free because Jesus frees us from our sins. He preaches to us the gospel that makes our salvation possible if we become faithful to it. Today, we celebrate the feast day of St. James and St. Philip. They were the apostles of our Lord, and they were the bishops of the Church in union with St. Peter, the first Pope. In the first reading, we are reminded to hold fast to the gospel which we receive. Since the Ascension of our Lord and the descent of the Holy Spirit, the apostles had the task to proclaim the gospel. This mission is continued by the Catholic Church which is led by the Pope and by all other bishops. Our Savior is reminding us that the fullness of truth is found in the gospel that is proclaimed by His Church, His Mystical Body on earth.

Lastly, Jesus Christ is Life. In Him, we have eternal life and only He can fulfill the desires of our hearts. St. Philip told our Lord that he wanted to see the Father for him to be satisfied. He was right that seeing God would really satisfy his longing, and it would give him interior joy. However, St. Philip was too focused on the humanity of our Savior that he had forgotten His Divinity. Although it's true that Jesus, the Son, is distinct from the Father, we should remember that there is only One God. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit  are three Distinct Persons who are united as One God. As such, the presence and the mercy of Christ reflects the presence and mercy of the Father. True happiness is found when we recognize that God truly dwells within us. Happiness should not be sought on material things, but only in Him. The joy and peace we obtain, here on earth and in heaven, are infinitely superior and satisfying than the pleasures of sins and worldly things.

Let us seek the intercession of St. Philip and St. James so that we may be more devoted in our faith as Catholics and in our prayer life. By the help of their prayers, we have the hope of seeing the glory of God in heaven.

Amen +

 

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic