It is probable,
according to Acts 4:13, that John (and consequently his brother James) had not
received the technical training of the rabbinical schools; in this sense they
were unlearned and without any official position among the Jews. But, according
to the social rank of their parents, they must have been men of ordinary
education, in the common walks of Jewish life. They had frequent opportunity of
coming in contact with Greek life and language, which were already widely spread
along the shores of the Galilean Sea.
Relation of St. James
to Jesus
Some authors,
comparing John 19:25 with Matthew 28:56 and Mark 15:40, identify, and probably
rightly so, Mary the Mother of James the Less and of Joseph in Mark and Matthew
with "Mary of Cleophas" in John. As the name of Mary Magdalen occurs in the
three lists, they identify further Salome in Mark with "the mother of the sons
of Zebedee" in Matthew; finally they identify Salome with "his mother's sister"
in John. They suppose, for this last identification, that four women are
designated by John, xix, 25; the Syriac "Peshito" gives the reading: "His mother
and his mother's sister, and Mary of Cleophas and Mary Magdalen." If this last
supposition is right, Salome was a sister of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and James
the Greater and John were first cousins of the Lord; this may explain the
discipleship of the two brothers, Salome's request and their own claim to the
first position in His kingdom, and His commendation of the Blessed Virgin to her
own nephew. But it is doubtful whether the Greek admits of this construction
without the addition or the omission of kai (and). Thus the relationship
of St. James to Jesus remains doubtful.
His life and
apostolate
The Galilean origin
of St. James in some degree explains the energy of temper and the vehemence of
character which earned for him and St. John the name of Boanerges, "sons
of thunder" (Mark 3:17); the Galilean race was religious, hardy, industrious,
brave, and the strongest defender of the Jewish nation. When John the Baptist
proclaimed the kingdom of the Messias, St. John became a disciple (John 1:35);
he was directed to "the Lamb of God" and afterwards brought his brother James to
the Messias; the obvious meaning of John, i, 41, is that St. Andrew finds his
brother (St. Peter) first and that afterwards St. John (who does not name
himself, according to his habitual and characteristic reserve and silence about
himself) finds his brother (St. James). The call of St. James to the
discipleship of the Messias is reported in a parallel or identical narration by
Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:19 sq.; and Luke 5:1-11. The two sons of Zebedee, as
well as Simon (Peter) and his brother Andrew with whom they were in partnership
(Luke 5:10), were called by the Lord upon the Sea of Galilee, where all four
with Zebedee and his hired servants were engaged in their ordinary occupation of
fishing. The sons of Zebedee "forthwith left their nets and father, and followed
him" (Matthew 4:22), and became "fishers of men". St. James was afterwards with
the other eleven called to the Apostleship (Matt., x, 1-4; Mark, iii, 13-19;
Luke, vi, 12-16; Acts, i, 13). In all four lists the names of Peter and Andrew,
James and John form the first group, a prominent and chosen group (cf. Mark,
xiii, 3); especially Peter, James, and John. These three Apostles alone were
admitted to be present at the miracle of the raising of Jairus's daughter (Mark,
v, 37; Luke, viii, 51), at the Transfiguration (Mark, ix, 1; Matt., xvii, 1;
Luke, ix, 28), and the Agony in Gethsemani (Matt., xxvi, 37; Mark, xiv, 33). The
fact that the name of James occurs always (except in Luke, viii, 51; ix, 28;
Acts, i, 13--Gr. Text) before that of his brother seems to imply that James was
the elder of the two. It is worthy of notice that James is never mentioned in
the Gospel of St. John; this author observes a humble reserve not only with
regard to himself, but also about the members of his family.
Several incidents
scattered through the Synoptics suggest that James and John had that particular
character indicated by the name "Boanerges," sons of thunder, given to them by
the Lord (Mark, iii, 17); they were burning and impetuous in their evangelical
zeal and severe in temper. The two brothers showed their fiery temperament
against "a certain man casting out devils" in the name of the Christ; John,
answering, said: "We [James is probably meant] forbade him, because he followeth
not with us" (Luke, ix, 49). When the Samaritans refused to receive Christ,
James and John said: "Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from
heaven, and consume them?" (Luke, ix, 54; cf. v. 49).
His martyrdom
On the last journey
to Jerusalem, their mother Salome came to the Lord and said to Him: "Say that
these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left,
in thy kingdom" (Matt., xx, 21). And the two brothers, still ignorant of the
spiritual nature of the Messianic Kingdom, joined with their mother in this
eager ambition (Mark 10:37). And on their assertion that they are willing to
drink the chalice that He drinks of, and to be baptized with the baptism of His
sufferings, Jesus assured them that they will share His sufferings (Mark
5:38-39).
James won the crown
of martyrdom fourteen years after this prophecy, A.D. 44. Herod Agrippa I, son
of Aristobulus and grandson of Herod the Great, reigned at that time as "king"
over a wider dominion than that of his grandfather. His great object was to
please the Jews in every way, and he showed great regard for the Mosaic Law and
Jewish customs. In pursuance of this policy, on the occasion of the Passover of
A.D. 44, he perpetrated cruelties upon the Church, whose rapid growth incensed
the Jews. The zealous temper of James and his leading part in the Jewish
Christian communities probably led Agrippa to choose him as the first victim.
"He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword." (Acts 12:1-2). According
to a tradition, which, as we learn from Eusebius (Hist. Eccl., II, ix, 2, 3),
was received from Clement of Alexandria (in the seventh book of his lost "Hypotyposes"),
the accuser who led the Apostle to judgment, moved by his confession, became
himself a Christian, and they were beheaded together. As Clement testifies
expressly that the account was given him "by those who were before him," this
tradition has a better foundation than many other traditions and legends
respecting the Apostolic labours and death of St. James, which are related in
the Latin "Passio Jacobi Majoris", the Ethiopic "Acts of James", and so on.
St. James in Spain
The tradition
asserting that James the Greater preached the Gospel in Spain, and that his body
was translated to Compostela, claims more serious consideration.
According to this
tradition St. James the Greater, having preached Christianity in Spain, returned
to Judea and was put to death by order of Herod; his body was miraculously
translated to Iria Flavia in the northwest of Spain, and later to Compostela,
which town, especially during the Middle Ages, became one of the most famous
places of pilgrimage in the world. The vow of making a pilgrimage to Compostela
to honour the sepulchre of St. James is still reserved to the pope, who alone of
his own or ordinary right can dispense from it. In the twelfth century was
founded the Order of Knights of St. James of Compostela.
With regard to the
preaching of the Gospel in Spain by St. James the greater, several difficulties
have been raised:
The authenticity of
the sacred relic of Compostela has been questioned and is still doubted. Even if
St. James the Greater did not preach the Christian religion in Spain, his body
may have been brought to Compostela, and this was already the opinion of Notker.
According to another tradition, the relics of the Apostle are kept in the church
of St-Saturnin at Toulouse (France), but it is not improbable that such sacred
relics should have been divided between two churches. A strong argument in
favour of the authenticity of the sacred relics of Compostela is the Bull of Leo
XIII, "Omnipotens Deus," of 1 November, 1884.
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VIII
Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1910, Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor
Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York
Text Courtesy of
TraditionalCatholic.net
Saint
James the Greater, Apostle
from
the Liturgical Year, 1909
Let us, today, hail the
bright star, which once made Compostella so resplendent with its rays, that
the obscure town became, like Jerusalem and Rome, a centre of attraction to
the piety of the whole world. As long as the Christian empire lasted, the
sepulchre of St. James the Great rivalled in glory that of St. Peter himself.
Among the Saints of God, there is not one who manifested more evidently how
the elect keep up after death an interest in the works confided to them by our
Lord. The life of St. James after his call to the Apostolate was but short;
and the result of his labours in Spain, his allotted portion, appeared to be a
failure. Scarcely had he, in his rapid course, taken possession of the land of
Iberia, when, impatient to drink the chalice which would satisfy his continual
desire to be close to his Lord, he opened by martyrdom the heavenward
procession of the twelve, which was to be closed by the other son of Zebedee.
O Salome, who didst give them both to the world, and didst present to Jesus
their ambitious prayer, rejoice with a double joy: thou art not repulsed; He
who made the hearts of mothers is thine abettor. Did he not, to the exclusion
of all others except Simon his Vicar, choose thy two sons as witnesses of the
greatest works of his power, admit them to the contemplation of his glory on
Thabor, and confide to them his sorrow unto death in the garden of his agony?
And to-day thy eldest born becomes the first-born in heaven of the sacred
college; the protomartyr of the Apostles repays, as far as in him lies, the
special love of Christ our Lord.
But how was he a messenger of the faith, since the sword of Herod Agrippa put
such a speedy end to his mission? And how did he justify his name of son of
thunder, since his voice was heard by a mere handful of disciples in a desert
of infidelity? This new name, another special prerogative of the two brothers,
was realized by John in his sublime writings, wherein as by lightning flashes
he revealed to the world the deep things of God; it was the same in his case
as in that of Simon, who having been called Peter by Christ, was also made by
him the foundation of the Church: the name given by the Man-God was a
prophecy, not an empty title. With regard to James too, then, Eternal Wisdom
cannot have been mistaken. Let it not be thought that the sword of any Herod
could frustrate the designs of the Most High upon the men of his choice. The
life of the Saints is never cut short; their death, ever precious, is still
more so when in the cause of God it seems to come before the time. It is then
that with double reason we may say their works follow them; God, Himself,
being bound in honour, both for His own sake and for theirs, to see that
nothing is wanting to their plenitude. As a, victim, of a holocaust he hath
received them, says the Holy Ghost, and in time there shall be respect had to
them. The just shall shine, and shall run to and fro like sparks among the
reeds. They shall judge nations, and rule over peoples; and their Lord shall
reign for ever (Wisd. iii. 6-8). How literally was this Divine oracle to be
fulfilled with regard to our Saint!
Nearly eight centuries, which to the heavenly citizens are but as a day, had
passed over that tomb in the North of Spain, where two disciples had secretly
laid the Apostle's body. During that time, the land of his inheritance, which
he had so rapidly traversed, had been overrun first by Roman idolaters, then
by Arian barbarians, and when the day of hope seemed about to dawn, a deeper
night was ushered in by the Crescent. One day lights were seen glimmering over
the briars that covered the neglected monument; attention was drawn to the
spot, which henceforth went by the name of the field of stars. But what are
those sudden shouts coming down from the mountains, and echoing through the
valleys? Who is this unknown chief rallying against an immense army the little
worn-out troop whose heroic valour could not yesterday save it from defeat?
Swift as lightning, and bearing in one hand a white standard with a red
cross, he rushes with drawn sword upon the panic-stricken foe, and dyes the
feet of his charger in the blood of 70,000 slain. Hail to the chief of the
holy war, of which this Liturgical Year has so often made mention! Saint
James! Saint James! Forward, Spain! It is the reappearance of the Galilaean
Fisherman, whom the Man-God once called from the bark where he was mending his
nets; of the elder son of thunder, now free to hurl the thunderbolt upon these
new Samaritans, who pretend to honour the unity of God by making Christ no
more than a prophet (Battle of Clavijo, under Ramiro I. about 845).
Henceforth, James shall be to Christian Spain, the firebrand which the Prophet
saw, devouring all the people round about, to the right hand and to the left,
until Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place in Jerusalem (Zach.
xii. 6).
And when, after six centuries and a half of struggle, his standard bearers,
the Catholic kings, had succeeded in driving the infidel hordes beyond the
seas, the valiant leader of the Spanish armies laid aside his bright armour,
and the slayer of Moors became once more a messenger of the faith. As fisher
of men, he entered his bark, and gathering around it the gallant fleets of a
Christopher Columbus, a Vasco di Gama, an Albuquerque, he led them over
unknown seas to lands that had never yet heard the name of the Lord. For his
contribution to the labours of the twelve, James drew ashore his wellfilled
nets from West and East and South, from new worlds, renewing Peter's
astonishment at the sight of such captures. He, whose apostolate seemed at the
time of Herod III. to have been crushed in the bud before bearing any fruit,
may say with St. Paul: I have no way come short of them that are above measure
Apostles, for by the grace of God I have laboured more abundantly than all
they (2 Cor. xii. 11, and 1 Cor. xv. 10).
Let us now read the lines consecrated by the Church to his honour: James, the
son of Zebedee, and own brother of John the Apostle, was a Galilaean. He was
one of the first to be called to the Apostolate together with his brother,
and, leaving his father and his nets, he followed the Lord. Jesus called them
both Boanerges, that is to say, sons of Thunder. He was one of the three
Apostles whom our Saviour loved the most, and whom He chose as witnesses of
His transfiguration, and of the miracle by which He raised to life the
daughter of the ruler of the Synagogue, and whom He wished to be present when
he retired to the Mount of Olives, to pray to his Father, before being taken
prisoner by the Jews.
After the Ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven, James preached His Divinity
in Judea and Samaria, and led many to the Christian faith. Soon, however, he
set out for Spain, and there made some converts to Christianity; among these
were the seven men, who were afterwards consecrated bishops by St. Peter, and
were the first sent by him into Spain. James returned to Jerusalem, and, among
others, instructed Hermogenes, the magician, in the truths of faith. Herod
Agrippa, who had been raised to the throne under the Emperor Claudius, wished
to curry favour with the Jews, he, therefore, condemned the Apostle to death
for openly proclaiming Jesus Christ to be God. When the man who had brought
him to the tribunal saw the courage with which he went to martyrdom he
declared that he, too, was a Christian.
As they were being hurried to execution, he implored James' forgiveness. The
Apostle kissed him, saying: "Peace be with you." Thus both of them were James
having a little before cured a paralytic. His body was afterwards translated
to Compostella, where it is honoured with the highest veneration; pilgrims
flock thither from every part of the world, to satisfy their devotion or pay
their vows. The memory of his natalis is celebrated by the Church to-day,
which is the day of his translation. But it was near the feast of the Pasch
that, first of all the Apostles, he shed his blood, at Jerusalem, as a witness
to Jesus Christ.
Prayer:
Patron of Spain, forget not the grand
nation which owes to thee both its heavenly nobility and its earthly
prosperity; preserve it from ever diminishing those truths which made it, in
its bright days, the salt of the earth; keep it in mind of the terrible
warning that if the salt lose its savour, it is good for nothing any more but
to be cast out and to be trodden on by men (St. Matth. v. 13). At the same
time remember, O Apostle, the special cultus wherewith the whole Church
honours thee. Does she not to this very day keep under the immediate
protection of the Roman Pontiff both thy sacred body, so happily rediscovered
in our times (Litterae Leonis XIII., diei 1 Novemb. 1884, ad Archiep.
Compostell.), and the vow of going on pilgrimage to venerate those precious
relics?
Where now are the days when thy wonderful energy of expansion abroad was
surpassed by thy power of drawing all to thyself? Who but he that numbers the
stars of the firmament could count the Saints, the penitents, the kings, the
warriors, the unknown of every grade, the ever-renewed multitude, ceaselessly
moving to and from that field of stars, whence thou didst shed thy light upon
the world? Our ancient legends tell us of a mysterious vision granted to the
founder of Christian Europe. One evening after a day of toil, Charlemagne,
standing on the shore of the Frisian Sea, beheld a long belt of stars, which
seemed to divide the sky between Gaul, Germany, and Italy, and crossing over ,
Gascony, the Basque territory, and Navarre, stretched away to the far-off
Province of Galicia. Then thou didst appear to him and say: "This starry path
" marks out the road for thee to go and deliver my "tomb; and all nations
shall follow after thee (Pseudo-Turpin. De vita Car. Magn.)." And Charles,
crossing the mountains, gave the signal to all Christendom to undertake those
great Crusades, which were both the salvation and the glory of the Latin
races, by driving back the Mussulman plague to the land of its birth.
When we consider that two tombs formed, as it were, the two extreme points or
poles of this movement unparalleled in the history of nations: the one wherein
the God-Man rested in death, the other where thy body lay, O son of Zebedee,
we cannot help crying out with the Psalmist: Thy friends, O God, are made
exceedingly honourable (Ps. csssviii. 17)! And what a mark of friendship did
the Son of Man bestow on his humble apostle by sharing His honours with him,
when the military Orders and Hospitallers were established, to the terror of
the Crescent, for the sole purpose, at the outset, of entertaining and
protecting pilgrims on their way to one or other of these holy tombs? May the
heavenly impulse now so happily showing itself in the return to the great
Catholic pilgrimages, gather once more at Compostella the sons of thy former
clients. We, at least, will imitate St. Louis before the walls of Tunis,
murmuring with his dying lips the Collect of thy feast; and we will repeat in
conclusion: "Be thou, O Lord, the sanctifier and guardian of thy people; that,
defended by the protection of thy Apostle James, they may please thee by their
conduct, and serve thee with secure minds."
St. James
the Greater, Apostle
by
Father Francis Xavier Weninger, 1876
St. James, who is
surnamed the Greater because he was called to the Apostolate earlier than the
other Apostle of the same name, was born in Galilee. He was the son of Zebedee
and of Mary Salome, and a brother of the holy Apostle, St. John, the
Evangelist. One day, when he sat with his father and his brother in a boat,
mending the nets, Christ passed by, and said to him and his brother only these
few words: "Follow me!" Immediately obeying, James and John left the boat and
their father, and followed Him, remaining constant to Him, until His bitter
passion. St. Epiphanius testifies that St. James always lived in celibacy, and
it is known from the Gospel that he was one of the most intimate disciples of
the Saviour; for on several occasions, when no other Apostle was admitted,
James was present with Peter and John; for instance, when Christ raised to
life the daughter of Jairus; during His transfiguration on Mount Thabor, and
when, at a distance from the others He performed His holy prayers in the
garden of Gethsemane, sweating blood in His agony.
St. Mark relates that Christ called James and his brother, on account of the
vehemence of their zeal, "Boanerges," or children of the thunder, because they
announced the Gospel with such earnestness, that their voices penetrated the
hearts of men, like the rolling of the thunder, and moved them to recognize
and receive the truth. St. Luke narrates that once, when the Samaritans would
not allow Christ to enter into their city, James and John were so indignant at
the insult offered to their beloved Master, that they said to Him: "Lord, wilt
thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" But
Christ, rebuking them, said: "You know not of what spirit you are. The Son of
Man came not to destroy souls, but to save." By these words, He intended to
teach them that the spirit of Christianity and of the Gospel was no spirit of
vengeance, but one of love and gentleness; more intent upon the salvation of
men than upon their punishment.
In the Gospel of St. Matthew, we read that the mother of James and John had
come to Christ, asking Him to place one of her sons on His right hand, the
other on His left in His kingdom. The Saviour reproved the two Apostles for
their ambition, saying: "You know not what you ask." After this, He asked
them: "Can you drink of the Chalice that I shall drink?" And they resolutely
replied: "Yes, we can." They verified their words by their deeds; for they
suffered much for Christ's sake, as is seen in their lives. St. James, soon
after the ascension of the Lord and the coming of the Holy Ghost, preached at
Jerusalem, at Samaria and in all Judaea. After this, he went to Spain and did
the same with unabating zeal. How long he remained there, and how he succeeded
in disseminating the Christian faith is not known. At Saragossa, they show a
Church which, according to tradition, was built by this holy Apostle; and the
cause of its erection is said to have been as follows:
The Saint one night left the city with his disciples and went to the banks
of the river Ebro, to offer his prayer there undisturbed. Suddenly the Blessed
Virgin, who at that time was still on earth, appeared to him, surrounded by
many angels. James recognized her immediately, and, falling on his knees
before her, honored her as the Mother of his Redeemer. She said to him: "Thou
shalt build upon this place, a Church in my honor; for I know that the
inhabitants of Saragossa will conceive an especial devotion to me, for which
reason I will henceforth protect them." James obeyed her words, and erected a
Church which although small at the beginning, was afterwards enlarged and
rebuilt in its present form. This Church is still called the "Church of the
Pillar of St. Mary," because the Blessed Virgin appeared to the Apostle on a
pillar which yet remains.
After some years, St. James returned with several disciples to Jerusalem. Of
the latter, seven became bishops in the course of time, and were sent back to
Spain to convert the inhabitants of that noble land. He himself labored with
great zeal, both at Jerusalem and in the surrounding country, for the
conversion of the Jews. Many were brought by him to the Christian faith, while
others became so enraged at him, that they determined to make away with him.
The better to accomplish this, they took, to aid them, two magicians,
Hermogenes and Philetus, requesting them to have a public discussion on
religion with St. James and to disgrace him before the people. Should they,
however, not succeed in this, they were to send some evil spirits to torment
him. Philetus began; but was so convinced of his error by the Apostle, that he
asked his pardon on bended knees, and became a convert to the Christian faith.
Hermogenes, greatly incensed at this, conjured the devils by his magic and
commanded them to bring the Apostle and Philetus to him in chains.
The evil spirits, however, by order of the Almighty, seized Hermogenes, and
dragged him, in spite of all his blasphemy, to St. James. Just at the time,
Philetus was there. The Apostle requested the latter in the name of Jesus
Christ to break the chains of his former teacher, which was accordingly done.
Astonished at this, Hermogenes burned all his books of magic, and embraced the
Christian faith.
When the enemies of the Apostle perceived that they did not succeed in their
project, they consulted two Roman Centurions, Lysias and Theocrates, whom, by
promising a large sum of money, they had bribed for their plans. They wished
to cause a disturbance among the people while the Apostle was preaching, and
the two officers, pretending they had come to quiet the people, should seize
the Saint and bring him to King Herod. All was done as they had planned. St.
James preached with his usual zeal, and proved clearly to the assembled Jews,
that Jesus Christ, Whom they had so ignominiously put to death on the Cross,
was the Messiah, so long promised by the Almighty. According to the agreement,
the enemies of the Apostle, not willing to listen any longer to his convincing
arguments, stirred up the people, and one of them, a scribe, named Josiah,
threw a cord around St. James' neck, when the two Centurions hastened forward,
seized him, and brought him to King Herod. They accused him of having
instigated the people to rebel, and this was sufficient for King Herod, who,
to please the Jews, desired to put him to death.
Nothing more agreeable could happen to the Apostle than to give his life for
Christ's sake, and the joy he felt in his heart was perceptible in his
countenance. He repeated publicly the confession of his faith and again
announced that Christ was the true Messiah and Saviour of the world. When he
was sentenced to be beheaded, he declared himself ready, not only for this
manner of death, but for any other, however painful. The above-mentioned
Josiah was deeply touched by the Saint's fearlessness, and not only repented
of having apprehended him, but also confessed openly the faith of Christ; and
casting himself at the feet of the Apostle, when the latter was led away to be
executed, he humbly begged to be forgiven. The Saint, embracing him kindly,
said: "Peace be with you!" The Jews, still more embittered at this, importuned
Herod so long that at length he ordered Josiah to be beheaded. On his way to
the place of execution, St. James met a man who had the palsy, and immediately
restored him to health in the name of Jesus Christ. Arrived at the place, he
gave thanks to God for having vouchsafed him the grace to die for the faith of
Christ, and cheerfully received the fatal stroke, ending his life shortly
before Easter. He was the first of all the Apostles who gave his blood for
Christ, and is the only one whose death is mentioned in Holy Writ. His body
was buried by the Christians with due solemnity, but was afterwards
transported by his disciples to Compostella, where he is honored by the whole
Christian world. Spain regards and esteems him as its mighty protector. It is
known from authentic sources, that he appeared several times visibly at the
head of the Spanish army, which, led by him, gained glorious victories over
the barbarians.
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS.
No sooner was James called by Christ to
follow Him, than unhesitatingly he left home and everything and followed the
Saviour. If he had not done so, or if he had delayed, who knows if a second
call would have reached him, and if he would not have gone to eternal
destruction? God calls you already so long to follow Him, to do penance, to
correct your life, to manifest greater fervor in His service, to avoid all
occasions of evil, to break off all sinful associations, to confess your evil
deeds, to restore what you have no right to possess, to repair the reputation
of your neighbor, which you have injured by your slanders, etc. He calls you
by an inner, voice, and by your confessor, or through sermons. Why do you not
follow Him? Why do you delay from day to day? Oh! take heed, that the menace
of God be not verified in you: "I called and you refused: I stretched out my
hand and there was none that regarded. You have despised all my counsel, and
have neglected my reprehensions. I will also laugh at your destruction. (Prov.
i.)" If you do not wish to become yourself an example of this dreadful menace,
resolve to-day to follow the call of your God, and to act according to His
exhortations. Delay not longer, or He may cease to invite you, and you will go
to destruction.
Prayer to Saint
James the Greater
O glorious Apostle, Saint James, who by
reason of thy fervent and generous heart wast chosen by Jesus to be a
witness of His glory on Mount Thabor, and of His agony in Gethsemane; thou,
whose very name is a symbol of warfare and victory: obtain for us strength
and consolation in the unending warfare of this life, that, having
constantly and generously followed Jesus, we may be victors in the strife
and deserve to receive the victor's crown in heaven. Amen.
![[painting of Saint James]](stj11003.jpg "22kb jpg painting 'Saint James the Greater' by Alonso Cano, c.1635, oil on canvas, Musée du Louvre, Paris; please do not write to ask about the image")
