“Having a ‘burning desire’ to be ever faithful to Christ and His Kingdom!”

(Based on Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles)

One of the famous stories by the American author, Napoleon Hill goes thus…

Years back, a great warrior found himself to be in a situation, wherein he had to take a hard decision, to ensure success on the battlefield.

He was about to send his armies against a powerful foe, whose men outnumbered his own.

He got his soldiers into boats and sailed to the enemy’s country.
He then unloaded all the soldiers and the equipment.

When they had disembarked, he gave a strong order, “Burn the ships!”

The ships that had carried them were burnt!
… Up they went, in smoke!

Then he addressed his soldiers, ” “You see the boats going up in smoke.

That means that we cannot leave these shores alive unless we win!
We now have no choice—we win, or we perish!”

The result of the battle was astonishing:

Though they were a very small number… they still won!

It’s such in life…

Any person who wishes to find success in any undertaking, must be willing to “burn all ships”…
…cut all sources of retreat…
… and have a burning desire to win!

Today Holy Mother the Church celebrates the Feast of two such saints….Apostles St Philip and St James… who lived a faithful and courageous life as followers of Jesus…
… having “burnt all ships” that kept them away from Christ
…cut all sources of retreat
… and had a burning desire to be ‘ever faithful’!

The Apostle St Philip was a native of Bethsaida, on Lake Gennesaret. He was among the first disciples of Jesus (Jn 1:43)

At the miraculous feeding of the multitude, it was to Philip that Jesus asked, “Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?” to which Philip replied, “Two hundred denarii worth food will not be enough for them to have a little” (Jn 6:5)
When through Greeks came to meet Jesus, it was Philip whom they met and it was he who reported to Andrew and they both went to Jesus (Jn 12: 21-22)
It was Philip who told Jesus, in the Upper Room, “Lord, show us the Father and it is enough for us” (Jn 14: 8)

The Apostle St James is called as the Younger or the Less, because he was the second of that name who was an apostle of Jesus – distinguishing him from James the Greater, the son of Zebedee

St James the Less was also called as James the Just and is sometimes also called as the “Brother of the Lord”
He is the author of one of the Epistles in the New Testament and he was also ordained as the Bishop of Jerusalem.

The Gospel of the Day (Jn 14: 6-14) presents Jesus declaring Himself as “The Way, the Truth and The Life” (Jn 14: 6)

These two Apostles, St Philip and St James by their life, gave a faithful witness to Jesus, The Way, The Truth and The Life!

We are called and challenged, by these Apostles to do the same as well…

Being ready…

to embrace Jesus as The Way…
… seeking to follow only His paths and doing His Will
…being bold to stand firm in the face of hardships, while walking on the Way

Being ready…

to embrace Jesus as The Truth…
… wanting to let go a life of dishonesty and hypocrisy in our actions of life
… determined in the conviction to live for Christ and His virtues in day-to-day life

Being ready…

to embrace Jesus as The Life…
… willing to utilize all our talents, gifts, resources in life for the glory of God and His Kingdom
… being brave to let go off anything which prevents us from living a life for the Lord

The Apostles St Philip and St James…
… were greatly purified in their following of the Lord, through various persecutions and hardships
.. and finally, gave their life in martyrdom to the Lord and His Kingdom!

We are invited and exhorted by these Great Apostles…
.. to “burn all ships” – that can take us away from Christ..
…”cut all sources of retreat” – that tempt us to go away from the battlefield of Christian life
… and instead have a “burning desire” to be ever faithful to Christ and His Kingdom!

Wish you a Happy Feast of the Apostles – St Philip and St James!

May we too, seek and work to be His True Apostles and thus live to be a Saint!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – THE MORAL LAW

The “divine and natural” law shows man the way to follow so as to practice the good and attain his end.

The natural law states the first and essential precepts which govern the moral life. (CCC # 1955)