HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF SAINT JAMES. 25.07.2020.

St. James

Readings: 2Corinthians 4:18-21; Psalm126 and Matthew 20:20-28. 

SAINT JAMES THE GREATER

 

Today we celebrate the feast of St. James, also known as St. James the Greater to distinguish him from the other St. James, the Lesser, who was one of the relative of Christ. St. James the Greater was the son of Zebedee and the brother of John the Apostle and Evangelist. Along with Peter and John, James was a privileged witness of the Transfiguration. He was beheaded in Jerusalem on the orders of Herod Agrippa, in 42/43 AD (Ac 12:1-2). The Synoptic describe James and John as fishermen on the Sea of Galilee when Christ called them to follow him (Matt. 4:21-22; Mk. 1:19-20).

 

As we celebrate St. James the Greater, Christ in the gospel teaches us about greatness and service. The mother of James and John asked Christ for a special status for her sons, “Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” It was a request that will make her proud and her sons happy. When the other disciples heard this, they were indignant at the two brothers, they grumbled at what they saw as an attempt to gain favour over them. However, Christ rebuked them and reminded them that true greatness and power lies not in human favour and fame, nor in prestige or worldly power, but in humility and in leading by example, by a committed and devoted service to one another. Christ gave new meaning to greatness after telling them, “…but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave…” Hence, the greater a person is, the more humble and dedicated that person must be.

 

Interestingly, Christ wants us to understand that real ministry is done for the benefit of those ministered to, not for the benefit of the minister. Some of us are in the ministry for what we can receive (either materially or emotionally) from our people, instead of what we can give to them. We are reminded that we carry Christ in us and we should be like him in humility and service, he who came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.

 

St. Paul in the first reading gave a beautiful exhortation to the faithful of the Church in Corinth of the treasures that is in us, the treasure contained within our being. He said, “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcended power belong to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; perplex 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.”  Paul use this metaphor to show what we have in our bodies made by God from mere dust of the earth, that we have inside us a true treasure, the presence of God Himself that dwells within us. For a Christian who has not yet realize who he/she is and still live in fears, such person should reflect over this: “He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world” (Jn 4:4). By Christ’ death and resurrection, we are no longer bound by sin and death, nor by the wickedness of our past sins, but with a new hope of eternal happiness in God. However, Christ mentioned what would be the challenges for all of those who follow after Him, and that is the cup of suffering which He has drunk and shared with all of us, that is to have a share of His cross.

 

In a nutshell, St. James and St. John at first did not understand what Christ spoke to them about when he asked, “Are you able to drink the chalice that I am to drink?” Eventually they would come to understand, that following Christ would mean they would encounter challenges and obstacles from different people, of which will cost them their lives. Thus, St. James shared in the sufferings of Christ, having faithfully served him through the spreading of the gospel to far distant land, of which he gained the true treasure, which can only be found in eternity with Christ. It is my prayer that the treasures of the kingdom of heaven be ours through Christ our Lord. Amen! Peace be with you!

 

Fr. Ken Dogbo, OSJ