From the locum
James the son of Zebedee, whose festival we celebrate today, was, with his brother John, among the twelve disciples of Our Lord. They, together with Peter, were privileged to behold the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1 = Mark 9:2 = Luke 9:28), to witness the healing of Peter's mother-in-law (Mark 1:29) and the raising of the daughter of Jairus (Mark 5:37 = Luke 8:51), and to be called aside to watch and pray with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane on the night before His death (Matthew 26:37 = Mark 14:33).
James and John were apparently from a higher social level than the average fisherman. Their father could afford hired servants (Mark 1:20), and John (assuming him to be identical with the "beloved disciple") had connections with the high priest (John 18:15). Jesus nicknamed the two brothers "sons of thunder" (Mark 3:17), perhaps meaning that they were headstrong, hot-tempered, and impulsive; and so they seem to be in two incidents reported in the Gospels. On one occasion (Luke 9:54ff), Jesus and the disciples were refused the hospitality of a Samaritan village, and James and John proposed to call down fire from heaven on the offenders. On another occasion (Matthew 20:20-23 = Mark 10:35-41), they asked Jesus for a special place of honour in the Kingdom, and were told that the place of honour is the place of suffering.
Finally, about AD 42, shortly before Passover (Acts 12), James was beheaded by order of King Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great (who tried to kill the infant Jesus--Matthew 2), nephew of Herod Antipas (who killed John the Baptist--Mark 6--and examined Jesus on Good Friday--Luke 23), and father of Herod Agrippa II (who heard the defence of Paul before Festus--Acts 25). James was the first of the Twelve to suffer martyrdom, and the only one of the Twelve whose death is recorded in the New Testament.
James is often called James Major (i.e. greater or elder) to distinguish him from other New Testament persons called James. Tradition has it that he made a missionary journey to Spain, and that after his death his body was taken to Spain and buried there at Santiago de Compostela (a town the name of which is commonly thought to be derived from the word "apostle", although it may also be derived from "field of stars", which in Latin would be campus stellarum). His supposed burial place there was a major site of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages,and still is today. (The Spanish form of "James" is "Diego" or "Iago." In most languages, "James" and "Jacob" are identical.)
Our gospel reading today is one of those mentioned above, Matthew 20:20-28. Jesus has just made the third prediction of his suffering, death and resurrection. Immediately afterwards, we are told that the mother of James and John approached Jesus with a request. When asked by Jesus what it was, she said: “Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and the other at your left, in your kingdom.”
After the first two predictions, the disciples had been very upset at the idea of their Master being put to death by the leaders of their own people. One gets the impression here that they are coming to terms with this warning and are beginning to hear the last part – “he will be raised on the third day”. And it looks as if James and John want to be first in line for the future that Jesus is talking about. What is interesting is that in Matthew, it is the mother who makes the request, while in Mark’s account, it is the two disciples who ask the favour.
In either case, it is clear that they show little real understanding of the spirit of Jesus. He tells them, in answer to the request: “You do not know what you are asking.”
And he continues: “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”, clearly referring to his coming suffering and death. Obviously not understanding his real meaning they reply: “We can.” In fact, when the time comes, they will be nowhere within sight, having run for their lives.
But Jesus does say to them, “My cup you will indeed drink but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” Yes, when the time comes they will be ready to give their lives for their Master. But, even then, the places on the right and left of Jesus cannot be ‘booked’; they will go to those who most deserve them, to those who are closest in spirit to Jesus.
Not surprisingly, when the other ten disciples heard what was going on they were extremely angry. Not because they were shocked at the request but because it was done behind their backs. Given the chance, they would have done exactly the same.
So Jesus takes them all aside and gives them a lesson in what constitutes true greatness in his world. It is not a question of status or power. Greatness in Jesus’ world, in his Kingdom, comes to those who dedicate themselves most to the well being of their brothers and sisters. And Jesus himself was a living example of this. He, the Son of God, came to serve and not to be served. His whole life up to his last breath was a mission of love and service given unconditionally to every single person. He died in shame and disgrace, a nobody. He totally emptied himself – for us. That is greatness.
Of course, in time James would learn this lesson and would follow his Master in giving his life for the sake of the Gospel.
Fr Michael