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On Thursday of Easter Week, the church commemorates the whole “glorious choir of the Apostles” at the basilica dedicated to them, Santi Dodici Apostoli, or the Twelve Holy Apostles. Originally, it was dedicated to Ss. Philip and James the Less, whose relics rest in the large crypt beneath the high altar. This Philip the Apostle was often confused in early Christian thought with the deacon Philip of Acts 6:5, who evangelized Samaria, and then was instrumental in the conversion of the eunuch of the Queen of Ethiopia in Acts 8:5-14, 26-40. We see this, for example, in book 3 of Eusebius’ 4th Century Ecclesiastical History. This is almost certainly at least part of the reason why the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch is read at this Mass. However, it is also a reminder that the Apostles instituted the diaconate, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to help in their evangelizing mission, and that the true preaching of the Gospel comes through those who are sent by them and their successors, the bishops of the Catholic Church.
PASCHALCAzT 2017 51 Easter Thursday - Hristos Anesti! [ 4:59 ]
The Introit for this Mass comes from the 10th chapter of the book of Wisdom: “They praised with one accord thy victorious hand, O Lord, alleluia; for wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of infants eloquent, alleluia, alleluia.”
On Monday of Easter Week, the Church sings of Baptism as the new Exodus, and Peter as the new Moses. Now today, she celebrates the united witness of all the 12 Apostles to the Resurrection, whose “sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.” (Psalm 18) The “tongues of the dumb” mentioned above, are those of the Apostles, who at the time of His Passion kept silent and betrayed Him, although they had sworn they would die with Him. But after the Resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit, they are made eloquent before all nations, as we hear in the partial reprise of the words of the Introit, “On the day of your solemnity, sayeth the Lord, I will bring you into the land that floweth with milk and honey, alleluia,” referring to the entry into the Promised Land following the Exodus.
In a number of early Christian sarcophagi, such as the one pictured above, the Apostles are shown standing together around the Chi-Rho monogram, the symbol of Christ’s victory, offering crowns in homage to their Lord; the two soldiers kneeling before it symbolize the triumph of the Lord over death and the devil. (Arles, late 4th century)
May the witness of the twelve apostles, of which we are reminded today, encourage us to be bold in our proclamation of the Gospel by our lives and by our words. May their intersession beyond the veil be an ever present source of strength for us today. We praise God that our Mother, the Church, has blessed us with this magnificent station church in order to remind us that we stand in solidarity with the ancient Apostles through the ministry of their successors, the bishops, united with all who have gone before us bearing the "good news" that Jesus our Lord has conquered sin and death and has truly "made all things new!"
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