Feast of St James, Apostle.
"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.”
(Matthew 20: 20 - 28).
Tuesday July 25th 2023 of the 16th week of Ordinary Time is the feast of St James, Apostle.
James and John are sons of Zebedee, both fishermen. They left their nets and followed Jesus when He called them from their fishing occupation.
Peter, James and John belong to the inner circle of the group of Apostles.
James was known as the Elder or Greater to differentiate him from his fellow Apostle called James.
James was one of the Apostles with Peter and John who witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus on the Mountain.
The Trio were in the Garden of Gethsemane for the terrible agony.
James was condemned to death under King Agrippa I and beheaded around 44 AD.
James is the patron saint of Spain, Philippines, Guatemala, etc. He is also the patron saint of pharmacists, tanners, others.
In the West of Spain is Santiago de Compostela, a worldwide pilgrimage site where St James is venerated.
In the today's Gospel, Salome, the Mother of James and John requested that Jesus makes James Prime Minister and John Foreign Minister in His 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.”
Often we do not know what we ask from God. But to the credit of James and John, they indicated that they were ready to die for Jesus.
James was beheaded by King Aggrippa in 44 AD.
July is the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ Month.
“I long to drink of his blood, the gift of unending love.” ( St Ignatius of Antioch).
For Devotion, Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ and other prayers, click the link below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/04/devotion-to-most-precious-blood-of.html?m=1
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