Friday 25 July 2025- XVI Week in Ordinary Time
Feast of St. James the Apostle
Mass Readings: 2 Cor 4:7-15 Ps 126 Mt
20:20-28
Key Verse to Meditate: But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave (Mt 20:26-27).
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,
Today, the Church
joyfully celebrates the feast of St. James
the Apostle, also known as James
the Greater or James, son of
Zebedee. He was one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus, and among
the first disciples to respond to His call. As the Gospel tells us, James and
his brother John were called by Jesus while they were with their father by the
seashore, mending their nets (cf. Mt 4:21–22). Without hesitation, they left
everything to follow Him.
St. James holds a
special place in the history of the Church, not only as a close companion of
Jesus—present at key moments like the Transfiguration and the Agony in the
Garden—but also as the first among the
apostles to suffer martyrdom, around the year 44 AD. He is venerated
as the patron saint of Spain,
and his relics are believed to be enshrined in Santiago de Compostela, a major pilgrimage destination
for centuries.
As we enter into
this Eucharistic celebration, let us ask the intercession of St. James to help
us respond generously to the call of Christ, to live faithfully as His
disciples, and to bear courageous witness to the Gospel in our daily lives.
The First Reading
Display of Divine Power in Weak Human Beings
The first reading,
taken from the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, speaks eloquently
about the display of divine power in the fragile, mortal bodies of the
disciples. St. Paul writes: “But we have this
treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will
be of God and not from ourselves” (2 Cor 4:7).
In the city of
Corinth, small pottery lamps or vessels—common, inexpensive, and easily
breakable—were sold in the local markets. Drawing from this familiar image,
Paul highlights the frailty of human beings, likening Christ’s followers to
these fragile clay vessels. Though physically weak, they are entrusted with the
profound treasure of the Gospel, bearing the light of Christ within them (cf.
Phil 2:15; 4:6). In this way, even in their weakness, their lives reflect the
presence and power of Christ (cf. Acts 9:15). This calls for a dignified manner
of living, as we are vessels of election, much like Paul himself, whose life
was transformed after his divine calling (cf. Gal 1:15–16).
Christians must
always remember that, though we are fragile, we are instruments in the hands of
God (cf. Is 10:15; 54:16ff), who is the Divine Potter (cf. Jer 18:1–11). Like
disposable clay vessels with no inherent value, we find our worth and strength
in God, who chooses to manifest His power through our weakness. The apostolic
lives of the disciples demonstrate how God’s divine power shines most brightly
through human vulnerability.
Speaking about the
reality of missionary life, Paul extends the metaphor of fragility. Just as
clay vessels are easily broken, so too is human life—vulnerable and limited. He
uses a beautiful analogy from Jewish tradition: just as wine is not stored in golden
or silver vessels, but in simple earthen ones, so also the words of the Torah
are preserved by those who are humble in their own eyes (cf. Deut 11:12).
Paul embraces his
own human limitations, yet he remains confident in God's sustaining power. He
writes with conviction: “We are afflicted in
every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not
forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor 4:8–9). In his suffering,
Paul mirrors the life of Christ. As he says in today’s reading, “We always carry in our body the dying of Jesus”
(2 Cor 4:10), and in his Letter to the Galatians he adds, “I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” (Gal 6:17).
Fully aware of the
dangers that surround him and the sufferings he has already endured, Paul
acknowledges a deeper truth: all of us who live by faith are being continually
handed over to trials and hardships for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus
may also be made visible in our mortal bodies (cf. 2 Cor 4:11). Thus, the
divine paradox is revealed—God’s glory is made manifest not despite our
weakness, but through it.
The Gospel Reading
On the feast of St. James,
the Church presents a striking scene from the Gospel of Matthew: the mother of
the sons of Zebedee approaches Jesus with a request on behalf of her two sons,
James and John. Her act of prostration, along with the presence of her sons,
reveals a deeper misunderstanding—even among the Twelve—about who Jesus truly
is and what it means to follow Him.
This episode exposes the
lingering ambiguity in the minds of the disciples regarding Jesus' identity and
mission. Even those chosen to walk closely with Him had not yet fully grasped
the nature of His kingdom. Perhaps it was too soon to expect them to comprehend
fully the One to whom they had committed their lives.
To Drink from the Cup of
Christ
James and John, through their mother, request positions of influence and
honor—worldly authority in what they presume to be a political kingdom. But
Jesus’ response shatters their expectations and demands a radical shift in
perspective:
“You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that
I am about to drink?” They said to Him, “We are able.” He said to them, “You
will indeed drink My cup, but to sit at My right and at My left, this is not
Mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.” (Mt
20:22–23)
The kingdom Jesus came to establish is not political but spiritual—the
Kingdom of the Heavenly Father. And entry into it requires not power or
prestige, but humility, suffering, and complete surrender to the will of God.
To "drink from the cup" means to accept suffering, sacrifice, and the
mission of love that Jesus Himself embraced.
The other ten disciples
react with indignation—not because they understood the true nature of Jesus’
kingdom, but because they too harbored ambitions for prominence. Their jealousy
reveals that they shared the same misunderstanding. Jesus responds decisively
with a teaching that would reshape their notion of greatness:
“The Son of Man came not to
be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mt
20:28)
This is the essence of
Christian discipleship: service. The true disciple is one who follows a
Master who came not to dominate but to serve, not to preserve His life but to
offer it for the salvation of others.
No Place for Earthly
Politics
Jesus makes it clear that
His kingdom operates on a different logic than worldly kingdoms:
“You know that the rulers
of the Gentiles lord it over them... It shall not be so among you. But whoever
would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among
you must be your slave.” (Mt 20:25–27)
There is no room here for
political ambition or rivalry. The only "politics" in the Kingdom of
God is the politics of love, humility, suffering, and service.
St. James, although he once sought a place of honour, came to understand this
truth deeply. According to tradition, he became the first of the apostles to be
martyred, laying down his life for Christ and the Gospel. He was, indeed, the
first to truly “drink from the cup.”
To Follow Jesus Means to
Serve
To follow Jesus is to
choose a life of service. This is the heart of today’s Gospel message as we
celebrate the feast of St. James. Who among us would willingly follow someone,
not for fame or position, but simply to serve? And yet, that is what Jesus asks
of His disciples.
Consider the example of
joining a political party. Whether it is a newly formed party or an established
one, people often seek it for status, recognition, or power. The apostles were
not much different—they were human too, with dreams and ambitions. But Jesus
had to teach them a new way, to re-shape them into true disciples. Eventually,
they would follow their Master, laying down their lives for the sake of the
Kingdom.
Even the other disciples were frustrated—not because they thought James
and John were wrong, but because they too wanted those same positions. Jesus
confronts them all with the truth: “It shall not be so among you.”
He insists that greatness in His kingdom comes through serving one
another. Holiness is found in service. Jesus not only taught this with
words, but exemplified it by offering His life as a ransom for many.
Called to Follow, Not to Compete
The disciples were called to follow Jesus, not to compete for
positions in His kingdom. Those positions, Jesus tells them, are reserved by
the Father. This echoes St. Paul’s words in today’s first reading:
“We have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the surpassing
power belongs to God and not to us.” (2 Cor 4:7)
We, too, must carry in our bodies the death of Jesus—dying to our
selfishness, ego, and ambition—so that the life of Christ may be manifested
through us (cf. 2 Cor 4:10). This is the path of true discipleship.
Points for Personal
Reflection
- Like
the Apostle James, who is believed to have evangelized Spain, am I willing
to give my life for Christ?
- Am I
ready to carry the death of Christ in my life, manifesting His presence
through my words and actions?
- Do I
desire to serve others, or do I seek to command and be
recognized?
- Can
I accept the invitation to drink from the cup of Christ—the cup of
suffering, humility, and service?
