The Apostle James, whose feast day we celebrate today, is often overlooked in my opinion, which is unfortunate because he was in Jesus’ inner circle. Scripture tells us that he was present at the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:29) and at the raising of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51). He and his brother John were in private conversation with Jesus on the Mount of Olives (Mark 13: 3). A key event in Jesus’ life, the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9: 28-36), has James there! And the night before Jesus’ passion in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37; Mark 14:33) we see James with Jesus apart from the others. As we see, he had an intimate relationship with the Lord.

Saint James is also traditionally believed to be the first of the twelve apostles martyred for his faith, making his martyrdom the only one recorded in the New Testament (Acts 12:1-2). This is a reminder that we are called to die to ourselves daily by surrendering our wills and egos to God in our pursuit of sobriety. Saint James reminds us of our need to be intimate with our Lord Jesus by spending time with him in regular prayer so that, like Saint James, we too may have the strength to be a sign of God’s love to others on our recovery and faith journey.

Reflection Questions

• Where in your recovery have you felt Jesus manifested in your life the most? How can you foster Jesus’ presence in your life more today?
• What is it about Saint James that inspires you? Pray today for his intercession as you continue on your recovery and faith journey.

Daily Mass Readings

First Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:7-15
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 126:1bc-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6
Gospel: Matthew 20:20-28

Reflection by Aaron W.