Daily Gospel Reflection – Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles

Daily Gospel Reflection – Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles

Bishop Robert Barron 

May 3,2022 

Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles 

Gospel: Jn 14:6-14 

Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.” 

*United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 

Bishop Robert Barron 

Friends, today we read the wonderful and mysterious passage from the fourteenth chapter of John’s Gospel. The disciples are gathered around Jesus at the Last Supper, abiding in intimacy with him, asking questions and seeking wisdom. 

Then listen to Jesus’ words: “If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Paul refers to Jesus as the “icon of the invisible God.” What both Jesus and Paul are saying is that Jesus’ words are the Father’s words and his deeds are the Father’s deeds. 

Philip, one of the first disciples chosen, still doesn’t get this. He says, “Master, show us the Father.” What he missed was the humility of the Logos: “The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.” Neither the words nor the deeds of Jesus are “his own.” They are received from the Father.