Feast of St. James

Monday, July 25, 2011
Matthew 20:20-28 (Feast of St. James) 

Among the Galilean women who stood on Mt. Calvary that first Good Friday was the mother of James and John.  As she watched the thorn crowned King of the Jews slowly die on his bloody throne, flanked by two condemned criminals, did she think back to the day she asked Jesus for the favor of having her sons sit on his right and on His left?  Truly were his words made clear to her “You do not know what you are asking”.  Nor were her sons able to drink the bitter cup that they had so confidently declared they could.  But let there come another time, post-Pentecost, when filled with the wine of God’s love that is the Holy Spirit, James would have the power to drain the chalice of martyrdom at the hands of Herod and John would drink the slow draught of long service in exile.  Now James and John are in the heavenly kingdom along with their mother and no one cares where they are sitting.  Each is with Jesus, facing the Father, in the Holy Spirit.  And that is all that matters.