Feast of Saint James, Apostle
Lectionary: 605
Reading 1
2 Corinthians 4:7-15
Brothers and sisters:
We hold this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.
We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.
For we who live are constantly being given up to death
for the sake of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith,
according to what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke,
we too believe and therefore speak,
knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus
will raise us also with Jesus
and place us with you in his presence.
Everything indeed is for you,
so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people
may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 126:1bc-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6
R. (5) Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Alleluia
See John 15:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 20:20-28
The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her,
"What do you wish?"
She answered him,
"Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom."
Jesus said in reply,
"You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"
They said to him, "We can."
He replied,
"My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
The Path to the Kingdom
“You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” Matthew 20:22–23
Saint James was the brother of the beloved disciple John and the son of Zebedee and Salome. Jesus called both James and John while they were working with their father, mending their fishing nets in their boat. Their response to Jesus’ call was immediate: “…they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him” (Mark 1:20). James was present at the raising of Jarius’ daughter, the Transfiguration, and is mentioned a few other times in the Gospels. In the Acts of the Apostles, James is identified as the first of the Apostles to give his life as a martyr, being beheaded by Herod in Jerusalem in the year 44 AD (See Acts 12:2).
Among the other references to Saint James in the Gospels is the passage quoted above in which Salome, the mother of James and John, asks Jesus for the unique favor of allowing her two sons to sit at His left and right in His Kingdom. Upon her request on behalf of her two sons, Jesus turns to them and asks if they can drink the chalice that He is going to drink, to which they respond, “We can.” And though this is a bold request on their parts and that of their mother, there is also something courageous and holy about their request.
Just prior to this passage, as Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem with the Twelve, He explained to them the fate that awaited Him. “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day” (Matthew 20:18–19). This was the third time that Jesus explained this to the Twelve and, therefore, it must have started to truly sink in. It is within this context that James and John ask to remain close to Jesus in His mission of establishing His Kingdom, even though Jesus explained that the path to that Kingdom was His suffering and death.
Each of us should learn from James and John. Though their request might have had some selfishness mixed in with it, it was also courageous. It showed they did not fear Jesus’ prediction of His passion. Instead, they wanted to be part of it and were willing to endure whatever was necessary so as to share in the glory of the Kingdom to come.
Reflect, today, upon making a similar request to our Lord. Say to Him that you desire to be close to Him in His Kingdom, and do so with the full knowledge that the path to this glory is by drinking the chalice of selfless sacrifice that Christ drank. It is obtained by courageously following Him, no matter what that requires of you. If that means suffering and persecution, so be it. If that means great sacrifice, so be it. If that means abandoning certain hopes and dreams, so be it. See yourself walking with these disciples and Jesus on the road to Jerusalem where our Lord would offer His life in sacrifice. Saint James would soon follow, dying by the sword of Herod. Say “Yes” to whatever our Lord asks of you and commit yourself to the drinking of the chalice of selfless sacrificial love. Doing so will enable you to share in the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
BY JESUS’ SIDE
“Promise me that these sons of mine will sit, one at Your right hand and the other at your left, in Your kingdom.” —Matthew 20:21
Jesus entered into His kingdom enthroned upon the Cross at Calvary. When King Jesus entered His kingdom, it was not Saints James and John who received the honor of being at His right and His left. Rather, it was two thieves between whom Jesus was crucified, “one on His right and the other on His left” (Lk 23:33).
James and John did not know what they were asking when they requested through their mother to be at Jesus’ right and left in His kingdom (Mt 20:21). Jesus tried to prepare them by referring to the cup of martyrdom He must drink (Mt 20:22). In St. Mark’s Gospel, Jesus refers to the “bath of pain” He was to receive from the cup He would drink (Mk 10:38). All who wish to enter into the kingdom of God must be prepared to drink from Jesus’ cup of suffering.
“Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, Who inspires and perfects our faith. For the sake of the joy which lay before Him He endured the cross, heedless of its shame” (Heb 12:2). To enter His Kingdom, we will be always carrying “about in our bodies the dying of Jesus, so that in our bodies the life of Jesus may also be revealed. While we live we are constantly being delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh” (2 Cor 4:10-11). Jesus wants us to be in communion with Him, to serve as He served (Mt 20:28). With St. James, let us die with Christ so as to reign with Him (2 Tm 2:11-12).
Prayer: Father, give me the boldness and zeal of St. James, so that I may follow Jesus everywhere He leads me.
Promise: “Indeed, everything is ordered to your benefit.” —2 Cor 4:15
Praise: St. James responded to Jesus’ call by immediately leaving his family business to follow “in [Jesus’] company” (Mk 1:20).
Reflection 3
Shared from God's Word
In today's gospel narrative, the mother of James and John requests Jesus that her two sons be seated in his kingdom, one to his right and the other to his left. While Jesus was speaking about his death and resurrection, his disciples were preoccupied with concerns about their positions of power. They could not comprehend the ways of God. At times, in our prayer Jesus replies to us, ‘You do not know what you are asking’. God knows what is good for us and He blesses us beyond our imagination. Jesus encourages us to imitate him and to follow the path of humility and service. Saint James, whose feast we celebrate today is the first Apostle to endure martyrdom for the sake of the Gospel. James, brother of John the Evangelist, was one of the three disciples who witnessed Jesus' transfiguration, his agony in Gethsemane, and the raising of Jairus' daughter.
Prayers
My glorious King, You invite all people to share in Your glorious Kingdom to come. May I enter that Kingdom with all the saints and fully share in its glory. I choose that path that leads to that Kingdom and willingly offer my life in sacrifice to You and for others. Jesus, I trust in You.
Holy Spirit, be my teacher and guide. Open my ears to hear God's word and open my eyes to understand God's action in my life. May my heart never grow dull and may my ears never tire of listening to the voice of Christ.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 206: Spiritual Hoarding
A real danger to the spiritual life could be termed “spiritual hoarding.” This would be the person who attempts to make themselves the end of God’s Mercy rather than become an instrument of God’s Mercy. By attempting to be an end of God’s Mercy, a person becomes spiritually greedy, seeking spiritual things for their own purpose. This is a form of pride. Praying becomes an act by which one seeks to “look” holy. Good works are performed so as to be seen. And one may seek to accumulate many spiritual books so as to give the appearance of being wise and learned. But an essential focus of the Mercy of God is not “spiritual hoarding;” rather, it’s “spiritual generosity.” If we want true Mercy to pour forth into our lives, we must give it away. We must see everything that God gives us as a gift given for the purpose of distribution to others. Therefore, when God gives you a certain grace, the first thing that should come to mind is how you can use this gift for the upbuilding of another. By giving the Mercy of God away, we become increasingly rich and find that this act of spiritual generosity continually increases God’s Mercy in our own lives (See Diary #1069).
Do you seek holiness? If so, why? What is your motivation? Is it so that you look good? Or is it so that you become good, distributing the goodness of God to those in need? Reflect upon the end result of the Mercy of God in your life. Seek ways to make sure that the end of all God gives to you is the generous distribution of His Mercy to others. In this, you too will be richly blessed.
Lord of endless Mercy, help me to see that Your grace increases the more that grace is given away. Help me to always be a holy instrument of Your Mercy and, in this act of generosity, receive the abundance of Your generous Heart. Jesus, I trust in You.
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