Saturday – St James, Apostle

St James was a fisherman in Galilee. He was the first apostle to be martyred.
Leader of the first Christian community following the death of Peter.

Invitation

May I take this opportunity to draw your attention to
the daily reading of the Gospel?

This invitation aims to share with you the joy
of the Gospel. Everyone, without exception,
can experience that joy by opening their hearts
to the healing power of God’s Word.

Available every day

Consideration

Saint James (43) was the first apostle to die a martyr’s death. Together with his brother John and Peter, he was one of the three apostles who stood beside Jesus on Mount Tabor at the Transfiguration of the Lord. The three were also present with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is curious that it is precisely these disciples whom Jesus regularly had to admonish: think of the two brothers’ request to be given the foremost places in the Kingdom of God, and of the many times Peter strayed from the right path. Whoever wishes to be great among the disciples must, on the contrary, become a servant to all. In the Kingdom of God, the world’s scale of values no longer applies: all human endeavour is directed towards service to God and to people.

FIRST READING       2 Cor. 4:7–15
We always carry about in our body the death of Jesus.

From the Second Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Christians
of Corinth

Brothers and sisters,

We carry this treasure in earthen vessels;
it is made clear
that this surpassing power comes from God and not from us.
We are hard-pressed on every side,
yet not crushed;
we are at a loss,
yet not in despair;
we are persecuted,
yet not forsaken;
we are struck down,
yet not destroyed.
We always carry about in our body the death of Jesus,
for the life of Jesus too
must be revealed in our body.
Constantly our lives are
delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake,
so that the life of Jesus, too,
may be revealed in our mortal existence.
Thus death is at work in us, and life in you.
But we possess that spirit of faith of which Scripture says:
‘I believed,
therefore I spoke.’
We too believe, and therefore we speak.
For we know
that He who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead,
will also raise us to life, just as He did Jesus,
to bring us to Himself, together with you.
For everything is done for your sake:
Grace must abound to many,
so that more and more people may give thanks to God,
to the glory of His name.

INTERLUDIUM        Ps . 126(125), 1–2ab, 2cd–3, 4–5, 6

Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy.

The Lord has brought back the exiles of Zion:
It was as though we were dreaming.
Then every mouth smiled
and every tongue shouted for joy.

Then the nations said:
‘Marvellous are the things the Lord has done for them.’
Marvellous was what the Lord did for us,
that is why we are so glad.

Turn our fortunes round for the better now, Lord,
just as a stream does in the Southern Desert.
Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy.

They go out full of worry,
laden with sacks of seed;
but they return singing,
laden with their sheaves.

ALLELUIA            John 15:16

Alleluia.
I have chosen you
and I have given you the task of going forth
and bearing fruit that may endure.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL      Matt. 20:20–28
You shall drink my cup.

From the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Matthew

At that time, the mother of the sons of Zebedee
approached Jesus together with them,
and knelt at his feet to ask him for something.
He said to her:
‘What do you wish?’
She replied to Him:
‘Let these two sons of mine sit in your Kingdom,
one at your right hand and one at your left.’
But Jesus replied:
“You do not know what you are asking.
‘Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?’”
They said to him:
“Yes, we can.”
He said:
“Indeed, you will drink my cup,
but it is not for me
to seat you at my right or left hand,
for this is reserved
for those for whom my Father has prepared it.”
When the other ten heard this,
they were angry with the two brothers.
Jesus, however, called them to him and said:
“You know that the rulers of the nations
rule them with an iron fist,
and that the great abuse their power over them.
“This must not be the case with you;
whoever among you wishes to become great
must be your servant,
and whoever wishes to be first among you
must be your slave,
just as the Son of Man
did not come to be served,
but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

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Laudato Si’
Encyclical of
Pope Francis
On Care for Our Common Home

187. This does not mean that one should oppose every technological innovation
that makes it possible to improve the quality of life of a population.
However, it must in any case be clear that profitability
must not be the sole criterion to be borne in mind and that,
whenever new insights emerge from the information available,
a reassessment should take place with the participation of all stakeholders.
The outcome of the discussion may be the decision
not to proceed with a project, but it could also involve a modification or
the development of alternative proposals.

To be continued
Every day at 1am