3 May 2017 - built upon the apostles

Saint Philip and Saint James

 Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

First and foremost, it is the Apostles who have seen Jesus. They hand on to the Church the truth about who Jesus is.

that Christ died for our sins
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he was buried;
that he was raised on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures;

Jesus is revealed to us by the Church. In her charismatic and sacramental life she makes Jesus present. This is thanks to Apostles like Philip and James who hand on to the Church what they themselves receive. In the usual course of events, barring dreams and miracles which do also occur, we come to know Jesus only through his Church and therefore through the living tradition handed down from the Apostles.

We think we're just looking at a Church much of the time. We think we are hearing formulaic teachings and dead tradition. But if we look with the eyes of faith we can see Jesus, see the Father, and see the Holy Spirit alive and working in our midst.
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.

We ourselves are meant to become this presence of God to the world.

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.

Perhaps we don't ask because it seems too good to be true. But if it seems that way, nevertheless let us ask! Let us take Jesus at his word.

Their message goes out through all the earth.