SERVICE IS THE KEY TO TRUE GREATNESS ( HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF ST. JAMES APOSTLE
Homily for the feast of St. James (Apostles) 2 Corinthians 4:7-15; Mt 20:20-28 Service is the key to true greatness Today we celebrate the feast of St James (Apostle). James is the son of Zebedee and the brother of John the Apostle and evangelist. Theologians have likened the mother to Salome, who is perhaps the cousin of our Lady (Jn 19:25). This perhaps gave her the temerity to make requests from Jesus on behalf of her sons (Mt 20:20-21). The apostle James is one of the first four apostles called by Jesus and by profession he was a fisherman from Galilee (Mt 4:22; Mk 1:16-20). James was among the three privileged apostles (Peter, James and John) that enjoyed special preferences from Jesus. For instance: At the raising of the daughter of Jairus to life (Mk 5:37) only these three were present, at the Transfiguration of Jesus (Mt 17:1-8) these three were the only witnesses, and also at the Lord's agony in the garden of Gethsemane (Mt 26:36-40) only these three were present as well. ...