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Exploring the word

25 Mar 2012 - Fifth Sunday of Lent, Cycle B

AS APOSTLES GO, Philip is not a front-runner among the original 12. Primacy goes to Peter, and lost causes to Jude. No one steals the thunder from James and John, two of the original “circle of three” around Jesus. Thomas becomes famous later on for his belabored but sympathetic caution on display in John the Evangelist’s account. Matthew has a written legacy. Apostolically speaking, it’s all downhill for the other six, as little is known of the Zealot Simon, Nathanael/Bartholomew, the other James, Andrew, and Philip. About Judas, of course, we wish there were less to know. Yet Philip has his 15 minutes of gospel fame. Jesus discovers him in Bethsaida, hometown of Peter and Andrew, and like them Christ unceremoniously scoops him up into discipleship with an abrupt “follow me.” That he responds speaks volumes about him. But then he does something even more interesting: Like Andrew, Philip takes the invitation one step further immediately, telling Nathanael all about it. Nathanael isn’t exactly receptive; but it doesn’t matter: Jesus will get him shortly. This demonstration of the evangelistic spirit lets us know right away that Philip “gets” it. Jesus isn’t a secret to be kept but good news to be shared. Philip remains a gospel gatekeeper, as the story of John unfolds. When some Greek-speaking Jews want access to Jesus in Jerusalem during Passover, they go straight to Philip with their request. Some scholars speculate that was because Philip was bilingual—as folks from cosmopolitan and Gentile-rich Bethsaida would likely be. But because three other Bethsaida residents were among the apostles, that reasoning seems thin. Perhaps Peter was too close to Jesus to be approached. And Andrew stuck with his brother. Maybe Nathanael remained a prickly, sarcastic sort. Or possibly Philip was simply that person in every group who has an instinct for outsiders. He caught their eye, he welcomed them warmly, and before you know it they were all jazzed up about the idea of meeting Jesus. A lot of us have encountered Philips over the years. He helps us make the transition at a new parish. She invites us to become a lector or join a faith-sharing group. Philip always knows a guy who knows a guy who can get us in, who opens the door, smoothes over the paperwork, finds a loophole at the chancery. Philip always seems to ferret out the spouse who isn’t Catholic and talks up the RCIA. Philip is excited about church, about what the community of faith has to offer. Philip doesn’t want to talk about barriers but about possibilities. And because we’ve all known Philip, we might wonder if the spirit of Philip is yearning to speak not only to us but through us. Related scripture links Philip in John's gospel: 1:43-48; 6:5, 7; 14:8 No more favorites or subordinates: Gal. 3:26-29; 4:6-7; Col. 3:11 Church mission shifts to Gentiles: Acts 15:1-35; Eph. 2:11-13; Rom. 11:11-29 Catechism links Eucharist involves each of us: CCC 790; 1140-1144; 1368-1405 Direct lay participation: CCC 903; 1118-1121; 1348

Authors Alice Camille

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Drama on the high seas

19 Apr 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

This Sunday's psalm tells of the "joyful shout of victory" in the tents of the just. Joyful shouts of victory went up from crew members of the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama Easter Sunday after the stunning rescue of Captain Richard Phillips, held captive in a lifeboat by Somali pirates for five tense days. There is widespread concern, however, that the rescue operation, which killed three of the captors, could make the piracy situation off the coast of Somalia worse. Somali pirates vowed to hunt down American ships and kill their sailors Wednesday, and French forces detained 11 other hijackers in a high-seas raid, raising tensions a day after an abortive attack on a U.S. freighter loaded with food aid. Pirates fired grenades and automatic weapons at the Liberty Sun, but its American crew successfully blockaded themselves inside the engine room. The ship was damaged in Tuesday's attack but escaped and was heading to Kenya under U.S. Navy guard. Meanwhile the French navy detained 11 Somali pirates on Wednesday who tried to seize a Liberian-flagged merchant ship, and other pirates released a Greek-owned vessel captured in March, officials said. A pirate whose gang attacked the Liberty Sun admitted that his group was targeting American ships and sailors. "We will seek out the Americans and if we capture them we will slaughter them," said a 25-year-old pirate based in the Somali port of Harardhere who gave only his first name, Ismail. Tuesday's attack foiled the reunion between Phillips and the 19-man crew he saved with his heroism. Phillips had planned to meet his crew in Mombasa and fly home with them Wednesday but was stuck on the U.S.S. Bainbridge when it was diverted to help the Liberty Sun. Source: Articles by Elizabeth A. Kennedy for the Associated Press and Sophie Hardah for Reuters

us navy liberty sun somali pirates maersk alabama richard phillips

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Water, water, nowhere, nor any drop to drink

23 Mar 2014 - Preaching the News for Sunday

A thirst for drinking water—and for the living waters of salvation—permeate the readings this Third Sunday of Lent. A thirst for water also permeates the dry Southwestern United States, especially California. The state is in the grip of a three-year drought that threatens to have devastating effects, and this winter’s record-breaking warm weather in the region does not help at all.California had a average temperature of 48 degrees Fahrenheit for December, January and February, an increase from 47.2 F in 1980-81, the last hottest winter, and more than 4 degrees hotter than the 20th-century average for the state, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in a statement.Warmer winters could make the already parched state even drier by making it less likely for snow to accumulate in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, NOAA spokesman Brady Phillips said. That snow, melting in the spring and running down through the state's rivers, is vital for providing water in the summer, when the state typically experiences little rain."Winter is when states like California amass their main water budget, when snowpack is building," said Phillips. "If you're starting from a deficit and going into the dry season, it's setting you up for a drier summer."Farmers are considering idling a half-million acres of cropland, a loss of production that would cause billions of dollars in economic damage, and several small communities are at risk of running out of drinking water.Around the West and in the Great Plains, multiple states also experienced warmer temperatures and low rainfall. Arizona had its fourth warmest winter to date and Texas had it lowest reservoir levels in 25 years by March.Despite heavy snow pummeling the north-central and eastern regions of the country, overall rainfall across the United States was far below normal. An average of 5.7 inches of rain fell in the United States in the past three months, causing the ninth driest winter on record, NOAA said.Homily hint: If only the weather would cooperate with our agenda! This winter we’d have liked it much drier in the East and Midwest and much wetter in the West. Weather teaches us important lessons about the limits of human control and the necessity to listen well to the signals planet Earth is sending us. God asks us to be good stewards. Let’s take the request seriously. Source: An article by Laila Kearney for Reuters

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Homily themes

29 May 2011 - Sixth Sunday of Easter, Cycle A

Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. Philip was one of the "Seven" upon whom hands had been laid to commission them "for prayer and to the ministry of the Word" (Acts 6:1-7). After Stephen's death, the Greek-speaking disciples fled Jerusalem and ministered in other places. Like Jesus, who dealt with Samaritans and told stories about them to illustrate his rejection by his own people, Philip, driven out of Jerusalem, goes to spread the gospel in the home of the hated Samaritans. Homily points Philip had a great day in Samaria by most measurements. It's one example of what it means to live in the spirit of truth. Even nonprofessional preachers have an obligation to proclaim the gospel, one decision at a time, through the spirit of truth. Courageous living issues a challenge and a testimony to all the world.

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