Sacred Stones, Sacred Stories

St. James the Elder by Rembrandt

Better known as a son of thunder, St. James the Greater is the brother of St. John the Evangelist. He was a fisherman before Jesus called him to lead others to a life of faith and love of God. James was one of the three disciples with Jesus on the mountain of Transfiguration as well as in the garden of Gethsemani.

James’s faith was deep and his passion for Christ great, sometimes so great that he had to learn how to moderate it and deal kindly with others.

James was apparently the first of the apostles to be martyred. “About that time King Herod laid hands upon some members of the church to harm them. He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword, and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews he proceeded to arrest Peter also.” (Acts 12:1-3a)

Many of you have heard of and/or traveled the road to Compostela, Spain. This route is named in honor of St. James, which translates to Santiago in Spanish. Tradition holds that the cathedral is near the place that the body of St. James was secretly laid to rest. He is the patron saint of Spain, veterinarians, equestrians and blacksmiths.

Today we honor St. James for his faith and his life that proclaimed the gospel. He loved the Lord fiercely. May we too give up all and follow our Savior to the cross and beyond.

St. Philip by Peter Paul Rubens, courtesy of the Museo del Prado, Madrid

St James by Leonardo Da Vinci

 

Today we remember the Apostles Philip and James (the lesser) and their place as two of Christ’s first disciples. Learn more about these amazing men by clicking here.

 

 

Reading from John 14:6-14:

Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way and the truth and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.

If you know me, then you will also know my Father.

From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said to him,

“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time

and you still do not know me, Philip?

Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.

The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.

Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,

or else, believe because of the works themselves.

Amen, amen, I say to you,

whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,

and will do greater ones than these,

because I am going to the Father.

And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,

so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”