Scriptures Today for the Feast of St. James
Like the other Apostles, James had little inclination that his end on this earth would end in martyrdom. Perhaps as he and the other of The Twelve would realize, Jesus' tortured death would be a signal to them that fellowship with this Jesus has little to do with "choice seats."
In the first reading, St. Paul puts before us today as well as the Corinthians, a genuine paradox. It is this: the individuals who will have the "choice seats" will be those who are not the strongest, the most powerful; it will be those who are scorned, ridiculed. St. Paul describes what martyrdom means: "So death is at work in us, but life in you."
Paul as well as Jesus and all the martyred in our Church's recorded history are reminders to us in our circumstances today that it is these men, women and even children who are those who have been invited to sit in the "choice seats." These are the followers of Jesus who offer us the places of the "choice seats". Their lives are the examples presented to us should we want to be sitting next to Jesus.
Few will be asked to endured martyrdom because we want to follow Jesus. However, we will be asked to sacrifice, to give ourselves in ways that are challenging and "costly."
So, do you want "choice seats" when all is said and done?
Like the other Apostles, James had little inclination that his end on this earth would end in martyrdom. Perhaps as he and the other of The Twelve would realize, Jesus' tortured death would be a signal to them that fellowship with this Jesus has little to do with "choice seats."
In the first reading, St. Paul puts before us today as well as the Corinthians, a genuine paradox. It is this: the individuals who will have the "choice seats" will be those who are not the strongest, the most powerful; it will be those who are scorned, ridiculed. St. Paul describes what martyrdom means: "So death is at work in us, but life in you."
Paul as well as Jesus and all the martyred in our Church's recorded history are reminders to us in our circumstances today that it is these men, women and even children who are those who have been invited to sit in the "choice seats." These are the followers of Jesus who offer us the places of the "choice seats". Their lives are the examples presented to us should we want to be sitting next to Jesus.
Few will be asked to endured martyrdom because we want to follow Jesus. However, we will be asked to sacrifice, to give ourselves in ways that are challenging and "costly."
So, do you want "choice seats" when all is said and done?
