July 25, 2026
Feast of Saint James, Apostle
Lectionary: 605
Reading 1
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
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
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."
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072526.cfm
Commentary on 2
Corinthians 4:7-15; Matthew 20:20-28
The Gospel reading comes from Matthew. Jesus has just made
the third prediction of his suffering, death and resurrection. Immediately
afterwards, we are told that the mother of James and John approached Jesus with
a request. When asked by Jesus what it was, she said:
Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your
right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.
After the first two predictions, the disciples had been very
upset at the idea of their Master being put to death by the leaders of their
own people. One gets the impression here that the disciples are coming to terms
with this warning and are beginning to hear the last part—that he will be
“raised on the third day”. And it looks as if James and John want to be first
in line for the future that Jesus is talking about. What is interesting is that
in Matthew, it is the mother who makes the request, while in Mark’s account, it
is the two disciples who ask the favour.
In either case, it is clear that they show little real
understanding of the spirit of Jesus. He tells them, in answer to the request:
You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to
drink the cup that I am about to drink?
Here, Jesus is clearly referring to his coming suffering and
death. Obviously, not understanding his real meaning, they reply: “We are
able.” In fact, when the time comes, they will be nowhere within sight, having
run for their lives.
But Jesus does say to them:
You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand
and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has
been prepared by my Father.
Yes, when the time comes they will be ready to give their
lives for their Master. But even then, the places on the right and left of
Jesus cannot be ‘booked’; they will go to those who most deserve them, to those
who are closest in spirit to Jesus.
Not surprisingly, when the other ten disciples heard what
was going on they were extremely angry. Not because they were shocked at the
request, but because it was done behind their backs. One thinks that, given the
chance, they would have done exactly the same!
So Jesus takes them all aside and gives them a lesson in
what constitutes true greatness in his world. It is not a question of status or
power. Greatness in Jesus’ world, in his Kingdom, comes to those who dedicate
themselves most to the well-being of their brothers and sisters. And Jesus
himself was a living example of this. He, the Son of God, came to serve and not
to be served. His whole life, up to his last breath, was a mission of love and
service given unconditionally to every single person. He died in shame and
disgrace, a nobody. He totally emptied himself—for us. That is greatness. Of
course, in time, James would learn this lesson and would follow his Master in
giving his life for the sake of the gospel.
The First Reading is a wonderful passage from the Second
Letter to the Corinthians. Here Paul speaks of the paradox of how the power of
Christ’s message is communicated through people who are weak and are the
objects of hatred and contempt.
…we have this treasure in clay jars [i.e.
fragile and easily broken]…We are afflicted in every way…but not driven to
despair, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed… always
carrying around in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may
also be made visible in our bodies. So death is at work in us, but life in you.
This is a picture of Paul himself, but also of James and of
all the martyred missionaries in the history of the Church. They are a stimulus
and encouragement for us to follow in their footsteps.
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Saturday, July 25, 2026
St. James, Apostle
Opening Prayer
Lord, be merciful to your people.
Fill us with your gifts and make
us always eager to serve you in faith, hope and love.
You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Gospel Reading - Matthew 20: 20-28
Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came with
her sons to make a request of him, and bowed low; and he said to her, 'What is
it you want?' She said to him, 'Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one
at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.'
Jesus answered, 'You do not know
what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?' They
replied, 'We can.' He said to them, 'Very well; you shall drink my cup, but as
for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they
belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.'
When the other ten heard this they were
indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, 'You
know that among the gentiles the rulers lord it over them, and great men make
their authority felt. Among you this is not to happen. No; anyone who wants to
become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among
you must be your slave, just as the Son of man came not to be served but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Reflection
Jesus and the Disciples are on the
way toward Jerusalem (Mt 20: 17). Jesus knows that he will be killed (Mt 20:
8). The Prophet Isaiah had already announced it (Is 50: 4-6; 53: 1-10). His
death will not be the fruit of a blind destiny or of a preestablished plan, but
it will be the consequence of the commitment freely taken of being faithful to
the mission which he received from the Father together with the poor of the
earth. Jesus had already said that the disciple has to follow the Master and
carry his cross behind him (Mt 16: 21.24). But the disciples did not understand
well what was happening (Mt 16: 22-23; 17: 23). Suffering and the cross did not
correspond to the idea that they had of the Messiah.
•
Matthew 20: 20-21: The petition of the mother of
the sons of Zebedee. The Disciples only not understand but they continue to
think about their personal ambitions. The mother of the sons of Zebedee, the
spokesperson of her sons John and James, gets close to Jesus to ask for a
favor: “Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and
the other at your left in your Kingdom.”
They had not understood the proposal of Jesus. They were
concerned only about their own interests. This shows clearly the tensions in
the communities, both at the time of Jesus and of Matthew, as also we see it in
our own communities.
•
Matthew 20: 22-23: The response of Jesus. Jesus
reacts firmly. He responds to the sons and not to the mother: “You do not know
what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink? It is a
question of the chalice of suffering. Jesus wants to know if they, instead of
the place of honor, accept to give their own life up to death. Both answer: “We
can!” This was a sincere response and Jesus confirms it: “You shall drink my
cup.” At the same time, it seems to be a hasty response, because a few days
later, they abandon Jesus and leave him alone at the hour of suffering (Mt 26:
51). They do not have a strong critical conscience, and they are not even aware
of their own personal reality. And Jesus completes the phrase saying: “But it
is not mine to grant that you sit at my right hand and my left, these seats
belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.” What Jesus can
offer is the chalice of the suffering of the cross.
•
Matthew 20: 24-27: “Among you this is not to
happen.” “When the other ten heard this, they were indignant with the two
brothers.” The request made by the mother in the name of the sons, causes a
heated discussion in the group. Jesus calls the disciples and speaks to them
about the exercise of power: “The rulers of nations, you know, dominate over
them and the great exercise their power over them. Among you this is not to
happen: anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant and
anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave.” At that time, those
who held power had no interest for the people. They acted according to their
own interests (cf. Mc 14: 3-12). The Roman Empire controlled the world
submitting it with the force of arms and, in this way, through taxes, customs,
etc., succeeded to concentrate the riches through repression and the abuse of
power. Jesus had another response. He teaches against privileges and against
rivalry. He overthrows the system and insists on the attitude of service which
is the remedy against personal ambition. The community has to prepare an
alternative. When the Roman Empire disintegrates, victim of its own internal
contradictions, the communities should be prepared to offer to the people an
alternative model of social living together.
•
Matthew 20: 28: The summary of the life of
Jesus. Jesus defines his life and his mission: “The Son of Man came not to be
served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” In this
definition of self-given by Jesus are implied three titles which define him and
which were for the first Christians the beginning of Christology: Son of Man,
Servant of Yahweh and older brother (close relative or Joel). Jesus is the
Messiah, Servant, announced by the Prophet Isaiah (cf. Is 42: 1-9; 49: 1-6; 50:
4-9; 52: 13-53: 12). He learnt from his mother who said: “Behold the servant of
the Lord!” (Lk 1: 38). This was a totally new proposal for the society of that
time.
Personal Questions
•
James and John ask for favors. Jesus promises
suffering. And I, what do I seek in my relationship with God and what do I ask
for in prayer? How do I accept the suffering that comes to my life and which is
the contrary of what we ask in prayer?
•
Jesus says: “May it not be like that among you!”
Do our way of living in the Church and in the community agree with this advice
of Jesus?
Concluding Prayer
Then the nations kept saying, 'What great deeds Yahweh has
done for them!' Yes, Yahweh did great deeds for us, and we were overjoyed. (Ps
126: 2-3)
James and his brother John were sons of Zebedee and,
together with Peter, were among the inner circle of Jesus’ twelve disciples.
The family seems to have been of a slightly higher social level than the
ordinary fisherman as we are told that Zebedee had hired men to help with the
fishing (Mark 1:20). James and John were, with Peter and Andrew, among the
first four to be called to follow Jesus.
They also had the special privilege, along with Peter, to be
witnesses of the Transfiguration (see Matt 17:1, Mark 9:2, Luke 9:28); to be
present at the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:29); and to observe the
raising of the daughter of Jairus (Mark 5:37, Luke 8:51). After the Last
Supper, it was these three who were called to watch and pray with Jesus in the
Garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:37, Mark 14:33).
Jesus gave the name Boanerges, or “sons of
thunder” to James and John (Mark 3:17), perhaps indicating they were somewhat
headstrong and impulsive. On one occasion, recounted by Luke (9:54), when Jesus
and his disciples were refused hospitality by Samaritan villagers, James and
John suggested Jesus call down fire from heaven on the offenders. On another
occasion, they went behind the backs of their companions, and asked for the two
best places in the Kingdom. On both occasions, they showed they had yet little
real understanding of the Way of Jesus.
All that changed, of course, with the suffering, death and
resurrection of Jesus. James would have been among the disciples when Jesus
appeared to them after the resurrection and gave them their mission to continue
his work. James would also have been present when the Spirit of Jesus was given
to the disciples, after which they set aside all their former fears and boldly
proclaimed the gospel.
About the year 44 AD, and at the time of the Passover, Acts
tells us that:
About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some
who belonged to the church. (Acts 12:1)
He seems to have done this as a sign of support for the
Pharisees. One of the first victims was James, the brother of John.
King Herod Agrippa I was the grandson of Herod the Great,
who had tried to kill Jesus after his birth (Matt 2:16-18), and a nephew of
Herod Antipas, who executed John the Baptist (Mark 6:14-29) and spoke with
Jesus on Good Friday (Luke 23:6-12). He was also the father of Herod Agrippa
II, who heard the defence of Paul before Roman Governor Festus (Acts 25:23-27).
James was the first of the Twelve to suffer martyrdom and
the only one whose death is recorded in the New Testament. By tradition all of
the Apostles were martyred, but the evidence in many cases is based on legend.
James is often called ‘the Greater’, to distinguish him from
the other James, son of Alphaeus. There is a very strong tradition that he went
as a missionary to Spain and that, after his death, he was buried in Spain at
the town of Compostela, in Galicia (some say the name, Compostela, is a
corruption of ‘apostle’, but for others it comes from campus stellarum,
or ‘field of stars’). Compostela became a major place of pilgrimage in the Middle
Ages and was a rallying point for Spaniards trying to drive out the Moors who
had occupied a large part of the country. “Santiago de Compostela!” was one of
their battle cries. (The Spanish form of “James” is “Diego” or “Iago”. ‘James’
and ‘Jacob’ are forms of the same name.) The pilgrimage to the grave of the
Saint, known as the “Way of St James”, has become a highly popular pilgrimage
for Western European Catholics from the early Middle Ages onwards, thus making
James one of the patron saints of pilgrimage.
The 12th-century Historia Compostellana,
commissioned by bishop Diego Gelmírez, provides a summary of the legend of St
James as it was believed at Compostela. Two propositions are central to it:
first, that St James preached the gospel in Spain as well as in Palestine, and,
second, that after his martyrdom at the hands of Herod Agrippa I his disciples
carried his body by sea to Spain, where they landed at Padrón on the coast of
Galicia, and took it inland for burial at Santiago de Compostela.
An even later tradition states that he miraculously appeared
to fight for the Christian army at the battle of Clavijo during the re-conquest
of Spain, and was henceforth called Matamoros (Moor-slayer).
James’s emblem was the scallop shell (or cockle shell), and
pilgrims to his shrine often wore it as a symbol on their hats or clothes. The
French for a scallop is coquille St Jacques, which means “cockle (or mollusk)
of St James”. The German word for a scallop is Jakobsmuschel, which means
“mussel (or clam) of St James”; the Dutch word is Jacobsschelp, meaning “shell
of St James”.
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