Good 'Ole Mom

~~~ Feast of Saint James, Apostle ~~~

~~~ 2 Corinthians 4:7-15 ~~~ Psalm 126 ~~~ Matthew 20:20-28 ~~~

The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.

By this time in the ministry of Jesus his reputation
was starting to be evident.
Being male human beings it is not far a stretch
 of the imagination to believe the apostles just might
have had power stars in their heads.
Maybe James, whose feast we honor today, along with his brother
had discussed their dreams with good ole mom.
So here is where we find the well meaning mother
 trying to intervene for her sons.

One such mother comes to Jesus with her expectations.
She was prepared to celebrate great things planned for her sons.
She wanted Jesus to single out her two sons to sit at his side.
She had knowledge of the Kingdom of God,
but she did not have understanding of what it meant
to sit level with Jesus.

If you want to sit on either side of Jesus
then you must be willing to act accordingly.
You must be willing to take whatever is hurled toward him...
good, bad, praise, and ridicule.
You must be real, you cannot be like a stiff statue.

Can you imagine putting yourself in such a position?

Earlier another mother came to Jesus with her request,
Mary, his own mother.
Her request ultimately led to his drinking from the very chalice
of which he speaks of in today's Gospel.

Jesus drinks freely from the chalice filled with his own blood.
Jesus was not creating a ministry motivated by power or prestige.
Jesus was creating a ministry based on the role of the suffering servant.
Jesus modeled his 'kingdom' after that of a shepherd.
Shepherds do not sit around on thrones
waiting for the subjects to approach.
Shepherds are out walking among the sheep.
Shepherds are with their sheep caring for them.

James eventually came to see that it was more important
to take his passion for the mission of Jesus out to the people.
He figured out that it was not about being seated on either side of Jesus.
The real challenge was to be out among the real people.
Until finally the day came when James
became such a threat that he was brutally killed.

Today we are invited to partake of the chalice
every time we come to the altar to receive.

Every time we come to receive we join
with all those who have gone before us in faith.

Hopefully we will not be asked to lay down our life for our beliefs.
We should, however, have just as much passion and commitment
as those who have given up their life.

Saint James, pray for us.
Blessed to be chosen to walk with Jesus...
to be loved by him.
~~~Peace~~~