Patron Saint of Spain
Today we celebrate the feast of Saint James Apostle, Patron Saint of Spain. “He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So, they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him”
James was the brother of John the Evangelist; sometimes called James the Greater. The two were called by Jesus as they worked with their father in a fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had already called another pair of brothers from a similar occupation: Peter and Andrew.
James was one of the favored three who had the privilege of witnessing the Transfiguration, the raising to life of the daughter of Jairus and the agony in Gethsemane.
Two incidents in the Gospels describe the temperament of this man and his brother. St. Matthew tells that their mother came to ask that they have the seats of honor (one on the right, one on the left of Jesus) in the kingdom. “Jesus said in reply, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?’ They said to him, ‘We can’” (Matthew 20:22). Jesus then told them they would indeed drink the cup and share his baptism of pain and death, but that sitting at his right hand or left was not his to give—it “is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father” (Matthew 20:23b). It remained to be seen how long it would take to realize the implications of their confident “We can!”
The other disciples became indignant at the ambition of James and John. Then Jesus taught them all the lesson of humble service: The purpose of authority is to serve. They are not to impose their will on others, or lord it over them. This is the position of Jesus himself. He was the servant of all; the service imposed on him was the supreme sacrifice of his own life.
On another occasion, James and John gave evidence that the nickname Jesus gave them— “sons of thunder”—was an apt one. The Samaritans would not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to hated Jerusalem. “When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?’ Jesus turned and rebuked them…” (Luke 9:54-55).
Following the ascension of Jesus, the apostles traveled spreading the word of the gospel. James’ travels took him to Spain. Initially, his sermons were not well received – even being taken prisoner in Grenada. However, he was soon released and went on to preach in Galicia.
According to local tradition, in January 40AD, the Virgin Mary appeared to James on the bank of the Ebro River, while he was preaching the Gospel in Iberia. She appeared upon a pillar, which remains today and is venerated within the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, in Zaragoza. She told James to return to Jerusalem once the church had been established. James went back to Jerusalem in 44AD, as Mary had wished. During the trip back he visited Mary in Ephesus. Mary predicted his death in Jerusalem, and on his return to Jerusalem, he was soon taken prisoner. He was taken to Calvary, the same place where years before Jesus had been crucified. He was then tied to the rocks, blindfolded, and beheaded.
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).
The body of James was taken by his disciples back to Galicia. His remains are said to be buried in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia.
Today let’s remember Saint James Apostle, follow our lord Jesus Christ, and learn the lesson of humble service: The purpose of authority is to serve.
Heaven is our goal.
Sources: St. Joseph Catholic Church and St. Louis Mission Chapel – St. James Apostle – Parks, LA (parkschurches.org)