Saint of the day May 3, 2025

St. James the Less, a brother of the Apostle Jude, was of Cana of Galilee. He was referred to as “the Less” to distinguish him from the other apostle James (the brother of John). This nickname likely refers to his younger age, not that he was any less important. James was called “the brother of the Lord,” because his mother was related to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Jesus appeared to James before any other apostle after the resurrection (1 Cor 15:7). James is the author of the Epistle of St. James. He became bishop of the Church in Jerusalem and played a central role in the Church’s first council (Acts 15). He confirmed that Gentiles do not need circumcision to follow Christ. In 62 A.D., Jewish leaders accused James of breaking the Law. He was pressured to deny the Divinity of Christ. The Breviary contains a moving description of his death: “When he was ninety-six years old and had governed the Church for thirty years in a most holy manner, the Jews sought to stone him, then took him to the pinnacle of the temple and cast him off headlong. As he lay there half dead, with legs broken by the fall, he lifted his hands toward heaven and prayed to God for the salvation of his enemies, saying: Lord, forgive them for they know not what they do! While the apostle was still praying, a fuller struck his head a mortal blow.”

As for St. Philip, he was one of the first apostles called by Christ. The day after the Lord called the apostles Peter and Andrew, He found Philip in Galilee. Philip was one of the first apostles to come to faith directly through Christ (Jn 1:43-45). Philip believed in Christ as soon as he encountered Him, after hearing only a few words. Philip also speaks during the Last Supper in the Gospel of John after Jesus says, “No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” To which Philip replies, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered, “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” (Jn 14:6-9). In the end, Philip followed in the footsteps of James and many other apostles by being martyred for his faith. After preaching with Bartholomew in Greece, he was scourged, imprisoned, and crucified upside down in 62 A.D. Though Philip and James served as apostles of Christ in different ways, in the end, they both valiantly gave their lives for Christ.

Reflection

What we know for certain about these two disciples is that they were among the Twelve Apostles. They were uniquely chosen by the Savior to continue His divine mission of evangelizing the world. They embraced their ministry heroically, establishing communities of believers, preaching the Gospel, offering the sacraments, performing miracles, and governing the early Church. Allow the apostolic zeal and the courageous martyrdom of these apostles to inspire you today with the same zeal and courage, so that God can also send you forth on mission.