St James & the Chalice of Martyrdom – Jul 25 – Homily – Fr John Lawrence

 

Fr John Lawrence gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Jul 25, 2023, Feast of St James, on the life of this great apostle, the brother of St. John.

St. James, St. John, and St. Peter were nearest to Jesus and the only witnesses to key episodes: Jairus' daughter's resurrection, the Transfiguration, and Christ's Gethsemane agony. James and John, known as the Sons of Thunder, despite their zealous nature, were guided by Christ to controlled passion leading to sanctity and eternal glory.

The Gospel displays the apostles' imperfections, especially the ambition of James and John. Expecting Christ to reign in Jerusalem soon, they desired places of honor in his kingdom. Jesus, however, posed a question, asking if they could partake in the chalice He was to drink, symbolizing suffering and martyrdom (Matthew 20:22 - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/20?22 Whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant).

St. John Chrysostom explained that there must be a period of hardship before glory. Despite their misunderstanding, the brothers affirmed their willingness to drink from this chalice.

St. James, the first apostolic martyr, was killed by Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:2 - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/12?2 On Herod’s orders James was put to death by the sword). His zeal for Christ led him to remarkable accomplishments, possibly extending as far as Spain. Like St. Paul, James displayed intense zeal.

St. Gregory the Great encourages us to cultivate patience in honor of the martyrs. We might not face physical martyrdom but can exercise martyrdom in our hearts by enduring insults and showing love to our detractors. For there are two kinds of martyrdom: one public, and the other secret (Matthew 26:39 - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/26?39 - Jesus prays to let the cup pass from Him). Both James and John were told they would drink the cup, but only James was martyred. John was a martyr in his heart, suggesting that we too can be spiritual martyrs by holding patience in our hearts.

00:00 – Introduction & Relationship with Jesus
00:36 – Transformation from Fishermen to Apostles
01:14 – From Ambition to First Martyr Among the Apostles
02:34 – The Chalice of Martyrdom
03:25 – The Legacy and Impact of His Martyrdom
05:23 – Lessons from Martyrdom

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. James - Feast - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=59
Readings:  - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/072523.cfm
1st: 2co 4:7-15
Resp: psa 126:1-6
Gsp: mat 20:20-28

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1115

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