FEAST OF ST. JAMES MAJOR, Apostle

July 25, 2023

FEAST OF ST. JAMES MAJOR, Apostle 

Introduction

James became a disciple of Jesus together with his brother John. He was, with Peter and John, among the apostles closest to Jesus, witnessing the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter, the Lord’s transfiguration and agony.

A “son of thunder” in his zeal for the kingdom, he proposed a hard line against those who did not accept the gospel. But Jesus told him that his task was not to destroy but to save. James himself experienced the consequences of the hard line when he died a martyr’s death, thus sharing Jesus’ cup of sacrifice as the Lord had foretold him.

Opening Prayer 

Lord our God,
Your Son Jesus was your equal
and yet he made himself our brother and servant.
May his Spirit be alive in us,
as he was alive in St. James,
and dispose us to become, like your Son,
powerless and vulnerable
so that we can serve one another,
especially in the weakest of our brothers and sisters.
In this way may people experience
how bold you make our love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord,

Intercessions 

–   That the basic attitude of our Christian leaders, bishops, priests, lay ministers, may be a spirit of service to their people, we pray:

–   That those who are persecuted may never despair but keep trusting in the Lord, we pray:

–   That no difficulties may keep our missionaries from preaching the Lord, we pray:  

Prayer over the Gifts 

Lord our God,
your Son asks us to drink with him the cup 
of self-sacrificing service.
Let Jesus fill us with that love
which alone can understand
that to be great is to serve others
and to use up our lives
to give them a chance to live

May we seek no other reward
than to share the destiny of Jesus,
our Lord and Savior for ever.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
your Son Jesus Christ
gave his life for his friends
and lighted in them a fire
that cannot be extinguished.
Strengthened by the bread of Life
may we follow St. James,
your apostle and martyr,
in his total and lasting dedication
to the kingdom of your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord. 

Blessing

Our attitude in life is too much that we want to be served. It’s easy and pleasant. Jesus tells us that we have to learn how to serve. That is what will bring us true happiness. May almighty God give us that attitude and bless us, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Reflection:

25 July 2023 

Feast of St. James the Apostle

Matthew 20:20-28

Want to be great? Change your attitude

The Church celebrates today the feast of James, son of Zebedee and brother of John the Evangelist.  

It is believed that St. James was the first apostle to be martyred. A tradition dating from the early middle ages portrays him preaching the Gospel in Spain and is venerated as the patron saint of Spain. He was beheaded by Herod Agrippa, the grandson of King Herod, in the year 44. His relics are enshrined in Compostela, one of the world’s most famous pilgrimage destinations, beginning in the 9th Century.

According to Matthew, the community of disciples is at risk of being driven by the desire to be the first, to be admired and honoured by others. To be successful and influential in today’s world, management trainers and motivational speakers urge their audiences to develop these “killer instincts.”

The Gospel values introduced by Jesus, however, are in opposition to those of the world. Rather than dominating over others, being in service to one another is all that matters in the world of Jesus. This Gospel passage is Matthew’s self-criticism of the group of apostles - for thirsting for power, position, and authority. 

The sons of Zebedee, James and John, approach Jesus in Mark’s Gospel and ask for the top recognition, the distinction of being first and most important in position, next to Jesus. But in Matthew’s Gospel, he introduces their mother to address Jesus on their behalf. A request from their mother gave Jesus the opportunity to teach more about relationships within the community.

Jesus grabs the opportunity to give a powerful teaching on humility. You want to be great?” says Jesus, “Then change your attitude:

Do not focus on how superior I am to other people.

Stop comparing my academic degrees and intelligence to others.

Put an end to thinking about my ability to manipulate and control outcomes.

Stop thinking how high I am compared to others and how many people I can command.

It doesn’t matter how long I’ve been a member of the Church or how much better I could lead the community than the current leadership.”

A heart of service and love are the only things that matter. (cf. 1 Cor. 13)

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