ST. JAMES

 Tuesday, July 25, 2023.

ST JAMES, AP. (FEAST)


First Reading.  2 Corinthians 4: 7-15

Psalm. 126: 1-6 (R. 5)

Gospel. Matthew 20: 20-28


TOPIC FOR REFLECTION


St. JAMES: THE FIRST TO DIE

Mothers would always be mothers.

The mother of James and John was not asking for a position for herself in Heaven, but rather for her two sons.


Please 🙏, let us hail and celebrate our mothers. They can go to any length just to make their children happy 


Today, we celebrate the feast of St. James, the son of Zebedee and the brother of John the apostle and evangelist. He was present, with Peter and John, at the special miracles worked by the Lord, at his transfiguration, and in the garden of Gethsemane. He was the first of the apostles to be put to death (see Acts 12:1-3) around the year 42...


Therefore, reading from the Gospel, the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to Jesus, with her sons...


Zebedee's Mother: My Lord, (kneeling) 


Jesus: What do you want?


Zebedee's Mother: Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.


Jesus: You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the chalice that I am to drink?


James and John: We are able. 


Jesus: You will drink my chalice, but to sit at my right hand and my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.


However, as fate may have it, as earlier stated, James was the first Apostle to die among all the other apostles, while John his brother was the last Apostle to die.

St James is a treasure in earthen vessels, so to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. He (God) allowed James to undergo persecution till his death 


So, St. James underwent the following that led to his death, he was afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, and today St. James is a saint, and we all honour him.

 

We are also encouraged in our daily struggles never to give up. Even if we are afflicted in every way, we shall not be crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but will not be destroyed; more so, we are always carrying in the body, the death of Jesus, and together we shall all gain heaven.

All we need is to stand for the truth and persevere to the end


St. James, always pray and intercede for us.


Peace ✌️ be with you.


Rev. Fr. Segun Oladeji, CRS.

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