Philip knew very well how popular God is with those of a pure heart. As soon as he reached the age of discernment and gained the ability to discern good from evil, he decided to declare war on the sins and temptations of the enemy, and did not allow himself to rest until he achieved victory. Even though he lived in the world and met all kinds of people as a young man, he kept his innocence intact in these dangerous years. No one has ever heard anything from his feathers to transgress against the strictest modesty, and by his dressing, his manner, and his whole appearance, he has always displayed this splendid virtue.
One day, as a layman, he was shamelessly tempted by certain debauched people to sin. When he found that he could not escape them, he began to tell them about the abomination of sin and the terrible presence of God. He spoke with such apparent agitation, with so much sincerity and fervor, that his speech penetrated the tempter’s immoral hearts like a sword and turned them away from that terrible thought and from their evil paths.
Other times, certain bad people, who did not consider anyone better than themselves, invited him to their home under some pretext. They were convinced he was not what the world thought him to be. They tempted him greatly as soon as they had him in their power. Philip, caught in a trap behind a locked door, knelt and began to pray to God with such breathtaking passion and heavenly eloquence gushing straight from his heart that the two poor persons, those who were in the room with him did not even dare to speak to him and finally fled, opening the way for him to escape.
His virginal purity radiated from his entire appearance. His eyes were so clear and transparent until the end of his life that no painter managed to capture their expression, and it was not easy to look him in the face for any length of time, because he dazzled others like an angel from paradise. Moreover, his whole body, even at an advanced age, gave off a fragrance that refreshed those who approached him despite the saint’s frail age. Many also said that they felt the piety that poured into them only from the very smell of his hands.
As for the opposite vice, its smell was not just a turn of speech for the saint, but a reality. He could recognize those whose souls were defamed by vice. He said it was so terrible that nothing could match her, only the evil spirit itself. To his penitents, before they began to confess, he sometimes used to say:,, Son, I already know your sins.‘‘ Many admitted it was enough for him to put his hands on their heads and be freed from temptations. The mere mention of Philip’s name was able to protect from Satan those who were attacked by his violent arrows.
He encouraged people to never trust themselves, regardless of their previous experience and regardless of the length of time they have practiced virtue. He argued that humility is the true guardian of purity and that lack of compassion for others who have sinned against it is the first step to their own rapid fall. Namely, he considered a person who acted as an ant-maker towards others and was sure of himself without fear of being lost.
Prayer: Philip, my glorious Patron, who has forever preserved the immaculate white-glowing lily of his purity with such jealous care that the grandeur of this excellent virtue radiated from your eyes, she shone through your hands and felt in your breath. Please ask the Holy Spirit for a gift so that neither the words nor the evil example of sinners will ever affect my soul. And because I can overcome my fearsome enemy only by avoiding opportunities to sin, praying, constantly employing myself, and frequently accessing the sacraments, I gain the grace to persevere in keeping these necessary things.
