Saints + Scripture: Feast of Saint James

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The Popish Plot
"Patron Saints for Your Pets"

'Tis the Feast of Saint James, Apostle (died 44, the Greater, the Son of Zebedee, one of the two "Sons of Thunder;" originally Ya'qob, in Latin Iacobus, in English Jacob), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Claudius, at the command of the client tetrarch Herod Agrippa.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:

Lord Jesus, You promised those who follow You a reward of a hundredfold. Yet so many who have committed themselves to You, like Saint James the Greater, have suffered greatly. Help me to understand the meaning of the Cross You share with us.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feast of Saint James
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter four, verses seven thru fifteen;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-six (R/. five), verses one(b/c) & two(a/b), two(c/d) & three, four & five, & six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty, verses twenty thru twenty-eight.

Commentary: Festal Readings.

Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, today in our Gospel, the mother of James and John asks Jesus on their behalf for high places of authority in his kingdom. Ah, there is the voice of ambition. Some people don’t care at all about money or power or pleasure—but they care passionately about honor. A lot of people can identify with James and John. They want to go places; they want to be movers and shakers in society. Perhaps a number of people reading this reflection are filled with these emotions.

But Jesus turns the tables on them: “You do not know what you are asking.” He is indeed a King, and he will indeed rule Israel, but his crown will be made of thorns, and his throne will be a Roman instrument of torture.

And so he tries to clarify: “Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” The key to honor in the kingdom of God is to drink the cup of suffering, to be willing to suffer out of love, to give one’s life away as a gift. Look at the lives of the saints. It is not about aggrandizing the ego, but emptying it out.

Video reflection by Monsignor Jams Vlaun (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Festal Reflection.

Video reflection by Doctor Tim Gray (Augustine Institute/Formed.org): Festal Reflection.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"The history of the human race in the world is not a procession of blind forces. It is a marvelous & vital working out of the actual history of the Divine Word. From Him came its first movements & throgh Him it will reach fulfillment."
—Venerable Pope Pius XII (1876-1958, r. 1939-1958)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"To have courage for whatever comes in life—everything lies in that."
—Saint Teresa of Ávila, O.C.D., Doctor of the Church (1515-1582, feast: 15 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"I believe that many people today think the poor are not humans like them. They look down on them. But if they had a deep respect for the poor, I am sure it would be easy for them to come closer to them, & to see that they have as much right to the things of life & to love as anybody has."
—Saint Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"In silence, there is humility of spirit or what might be called 'wise passivity.' In such the ear is more important than the tongue. God speaks, but not in cyclones—only in the zephyrs & gentle breezes."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)