The Vocation Promoter and the Less!

Saturday, May 3, 2025

Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles

1 Cor 15:1-8; Jn 14:6-14

As we celebrate the feast of the apostles Saints Philip and James, we gratefully remember their examples. 

We come to know St. Philip, at least through six references. It is Philip who responds to Jesus when he says, ‘Follow me’ (Jn 1:43). Philip’s first act of evangelization is to his friend Nathanael to tell him in all conviction and enthusiasm that ‘We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph’ (Jn 1:44). It is also Philip who persuades Nathanael to ‘come and see’ (Jn 1:46) when the latter incredulously asks, ‘Can anything good come from Nazareth?’ Before Jesus feeds a crowd of 5000, the practical-minded Philip reasons out, ‘Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?’ (Jn 6:6). Philip is mentioned in the passage where some Greek-speaking Gentiles want to see Jesus (Jn 12:21). Finally, it is also Philip who asks to see the Father when Jesus speaks about Him at the Last Supper (Jn 14:8-14).

St. James is mentioned less frequently in the New Testament than Philip is. He is called the Less, which might be a hint that he was a short person or else that he was younger than the other apostle named James. James is believed to have become the first bishop of Jerusalem. Assuming that James and the first bishop of Jerusalem are one and the same person, then he met his death as a martyr in that city about the year 62 AD. Tradition identifies James as the author of the epistle associated with his name.

Both apostles leave behind memorable lessons for fellow disciples of the Lord.

Philip is brave enough to respond to the call of Jesus. He becomes an evangelizer immediately after meeting with Jesus. He is able to convince his friend to have an experiential encounter with Jesus. Philip’s role in planting faith in Nathanael and bringing him to Jesus is enormous. 

It is interesting to note that St. James goes by the identification as ‘Less.’ It is neither dishonor nor humiliation. Instead, today we understand that ‘Less is more.’ Though we are not sure how it came to be his identity, such an identity fits well for an apostle of Christ. He is a reminder that, in Christ’s name, Christians are called to be ‘less.’ 

We all need Philip the ‘Vocation Promoter’ to take us to Jesus and James the ‘Less’ to follow the Lord in humility.

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar