16th Week in Ord. Time, Tuesday – 25th July 2023 — Gospel: Mt 20,20-28
Trusting Testimony
James is the first of the apostles to be martyred and is the only one who has his death recorded in the New Testament (Acts 12,1-2).The synoptic gospels describe that he is the brother of John, the evangelist and they were the sons of a fisherman, Zebedee. James is part of a threesome that seems to have a special closeness with Jesus. He, Peter and John witness the transfiguration and are present in the Garden of Gethsemane, the night of Jesus’ arrest. The story of the mother of James and John asking secure places for their two sons in Jesus’ kingdom shows that their special place in Jesus’ heart was apparent to others. So much so that it fosters jealousy among the apostles. Whether we express it or not, each of us wants to be recognized, wants to be accepted and seeks higher positions in the society. We all have the temptation to follow the easy and the comfortable path – a path which often seeks to avoid rejection, struggles and pain. Jesus reminds us that to secure a place in God’s kingdom, demands a life of service and self-sacrifice, through the path of suffering, which can lead even to death. James and other disciples have been a witness to this by dying to oneself, to one’s selfishness, to one’s pride and arrogance. Thus God gradually transformed their human weaknesses into courageous and trusting testimony of God’s love and forgiveness.
