Feast of Saint James, Apostle
Matthew 20:20-28
Service, not power: Learning from St. James

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of St. James, son of Zebedee—one of the first disciples called by Jesus, and the first of the apostles to offer his life as a martyr. He walked closely with Christ, witnessed his glory on the mountain, and later bore witness through suffering and blood. He teaches us something essential today: that the heart of the Christian life is not about power or privilege—it is about service.

The mother of James and John once asked Jesus for her sons to be assured of a place in the glory of Christ. But Jesus replied with a different invitation—not to rule, but to serve. “Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” he asked. The life of a disciple is not a climb to power, but a descent into love. True greatness is found not in being served, but in serving others—especially the poor, the forgotten, and the wounded.

St. James did drink that chalice. He followed Jesus to the very end, becoming the first apostle to lay down his life. Tradition tells us he preached in Spain, where his tomb in Compostela has drawn millions of pilgrims through the centuries. He reminds us that the Gospel is not something we keep, but something we carry to others.

Dear friends, let us not remain closed in on ourselves or in our own comfort. Let us go out, like James, with courage and humility. Let us embrace the cross, not as a burden, but as a sign of love. May we become joyful servants of the Gospel, helping to build God’s Kingdom not through power, but through mercy.

St. James, Apostle and Patron of Spain, pray for us!

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Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025