On Philip

The Apostle Philip, said Pope Benedict XVI, "invites us to let ourselves be conquered by Jesus, to be with him and to share this indispensable company. In this way, seeing, finding God, we can find true life."

Every authentic witness of Jesus Christ can follow the example of Saint Philip: "He is not content with presenting the announcement as a theory, but questions the interlocutor directly, suggesting that he himself have the personal experience of what was proclaimed." In this way, "the Apostle commits us to know Jesus up close."

The Bishop of Rome remarked last Wednesday that "intimacy, familiarity, custom, make us discover the true identity of Jesus Christ." We come to realize that Jesus "is not only a Teacher, but a Friend, more than that, a Brother."

When encountering Jesus Christ, "what is important," said the Holy Father, "is not only or above all to listen to his teachings, his words, but to know him personally, that is, his humanity and divinity, the mystery of his beauty."

Philip served as an intermediary between Jesus and those who sought to know the Son of God. Philip brought others to Jesus and "this teaches us also to be willing both to accept requests and invocations, wherever they come from, as well as to direct them to the Lord, as only he can satisfy them fully. It is important, in fact, to know that we are not the last recipients of the requests of those who approach us, but the Lord: We must direct to him those who are in difficulties. Each one of us must be an open path to him!"

With the Apostle Philip, let each us say, "Come and see."

Saint Philip, pray for us!