The Feast of Apostle James

 

The death of James is also for our salvation.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, the Feast of Apostle James, Tuesday 25th July, 2023
Texts: 2 Corinthians 4:7-15; Ps126:1-6; Matthew 20:20-28  

Today is the feast of apostle James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John the apostle. Jesus called him and his brother sons of Boanerges. He was a fisherman. Jesus called him and his brother when they were mending nets with their father. They immediately left everything to follow Jesus. Jesus chose James, John and Simon Peter to witness the event of transfiguration. They also witnessed the raising of Jairus' daughter from the dead and Jesus’ agony in the garden of Gethsemane. He was the first apostle to be martyred.  

Today’s gospel reading tells us how James’ mother came to ask favour of Jesus for her sons, James and John. She asked that her sons might sit at the both right and left hands of Jesus in His kingdom. This provided opportunity for Jesus to teach us that sharing in His passion is a prerequisite for participating in His Kingdom. James did share in Jesus’ passion. His devotion to Jesus and his passion for salvation of souls singled him out for death. By his death he teaches us not to betray Jesus for fear of death. Let us stand firm in our faith, allowing nothing to derail us. 

We have this treasure in earthen vessels

Apostle Paul reminds us today that God often meets us through means that shows He is the one at work. In his words: “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us.” The earthen vessels stand for our humanness. We see it in apostles’ ambition for position and power. We read, “And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.”  They were vessels through whom God spread His message of salvation. We should learn to look beyond the human aspect to see the divine treasure.  

Apostle Paul sees our inability to avoid suffering as manifestation of our humanness. Hence, he says, “We are 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, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” Our survival continues to prove the grace of God in our inability; it becomes clear that we do not live by our power but by God’s grace.  

The death of James is also for our salvation

We also participate in the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ in our inability to avoid suffering. Our sharing in Christ’s passion is not only for our participation in God’s kingdom but also for salvation of others. Apostle Paul says, “For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.” The death of James is also for our salvation. We also are to work for salvation of souls in spite of suffering.  

Prayer 

Almighty every living God, who consecrated the first fruits of your Apostles by the blood of Saint James, grant, we pray, that your Church may be strengthened by his confession of faith and constantly sustained by his protection. 

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke