Celebrating St. James
Today is the Feast of St. James, the apostle who was son of Zebedee and brother of John. I got back recently from a journey on the Camino de Santiago, the network of medieval pilgrimage trails leading to James’ supposed tomb in northwestern Spain, and filed this report at BustedHalo.com.
The image of James was transformed during the Middle Ages from peaceful evangelist to bloodthirsty warrior: Santiago Matamoros, St. James the Moor Slayer, based on the legend that sword-waving James rode to the rescue in a battle against the Moors in 844. His story is a good reminder of how religion can be warped to serve war. The Matamoros is an image that lingers – there was a controversy at the start of the Iraq war when Spanish soldiers wore the sword-like Cross of St. James. On his feast day, let’s return him back to the fisherman-evangelist-martyr Scripture says he was.
Our priest at Mass this morning focused in on the fact that the mother of James and John wanted a place for her sons on the right and left hand of Jesus. Did she really know what she was asking for? Her sons lived up to what was asked of them. His point was living a life of humility for Christ. That was his homily on the feast of St. James!
St. James is also one of the patron saints of veterinarians for reasons I can’t quite fathom.
Thank you for this James. Santiago is one of those sorry creations of some clerics who exult in manipulation rather than in imitation. Yes, many people created this myth but is the confirmation by clerics which is most regrettable. Poetry is uplifting when it is noble and terrific when it is scriptural. A lot of money in Compostela as there are in other money shrines. So what if it is violent. Onward Christian soldiers is such a contradiction in terms. The Vatican’s present battle with the Franciscans over Medjugorje shows again how superstition is wonderful as long as it pays. And it is not over truth. It is over power and money.
Denise: Thank you for sharing the homily. I must admit that when I reflect on the readings, I cannot help but think that what told them and then asked of them had to give them one huge attitude adjustment.
It is interesting to see how the two “yous” switch within that reading as quickly as they do. It is also interesting how this dialogue occurs long after Jesus has said many times over what is to become of him and it is ten chapters after Jesus speaks of the requirement of taking up the cross. The message of Jesus does not sink in easily no matter how often it is heard.
I’m sad noone knows why St.James is the patron of vets.
Doodle(Bob’s dog) Woof
Bob said to ask who’s the patron of bloggers?One of the sons of Zebedee might be apropriate.
Bob: I don’t know. Has Isidore been formally declared as the patron of the internet yet?
I know that yesterday’s feast was for “James the Greater”, but I have a soft spot for anyone who has been known as “James the Lesser” simply because of translators who fought between “lesser” and “younger”. Is James the Lesser/Younger the patron saint of people with low self-esteem?
Bob N., please pass this on to Doodle with my compliments:
Prayer for Veterinarians, Animals and the Earth (short version)
Joanne Stefanatos, D. V. M.
Illumine the eyes of our soul and pour in our hearts the dew of your Grace, so we may remember that You created everything to be reverenced, protected and loved as part of your divine Creation.
Accept us today as a living sacrifice to Your Holy Will,
For what we do and what we say is a reflection of our human hearts.
May our prayer be a mirror of the sorrow of our souls where “sighs are too deep for words”.
May suffering cease on earth and may all beings have a right to live.
Dear God, You have called us to be priests of your Creation,
Awaken our hearts so we might hear the silent voice of grass growing and seek you in the rocks,
Teach us the healing wisdom of the trees, hold us steadfast to your Truth.
We pray for the rainforests, the bedewing treasures in the mist, home to your many species of Creation,
We pray for every animal, in every shelter and animal pound who meets a needless death and is deprived of love and life.
We pray for all the laboratory animals who suffer, for all the farm animals who give their lives for our daily food, and for all the animals we use for pleasure and abuse.
We pray for all the suffering animals we euthanize every day in our practices, ones whose earthly life must come to an end, may they receive their crowns in heaven.
We pray for all the elephants, tigers, dolphins and whales, for the many species endangered by man’s corruption.
We pray for all the people and the children, that we may know that the only lasting true peace and love comes from You, the Father of Light, the Great Holy Spirit, the True Physician of Our Souls and Bodies.
Dear Lord, You’ve gifted each one of us with love for animals, with the compassion and heart to be your Caregivers on earth for Your creatures and for our fellow man.
Discern our paths, and keep us steadfast in Your righteousness.
In our daily practices, may we remember You in each decision we make and with every treatment we give.
May You guide our hands, our minds and our hearts to cause no harm but to give loving kindness and the healing touch to all.
May your healing grace emanate from our fingertips so that we can extend Your healing and mercy to every animal in need.
Let our attitude resonate with Your healing Light, so that our speech and our intent stays focused on the needs of our patients and their owners. For one cannot heal without the other.
Oh Lord, may we provide a refreshing, healing oasis for our patients.
Thank you dear Lord, for all the blessings You have bestowed upon us.
Thank you for all the wonderful animal patients You bring to us every day in our practices.
May the thoughts of our minds, the intention of our hearts and the action of our deeds be as One.
Teach us to ask the animals, so they can teach us Your unconditional Love,
For only when we heal ourselves first, can we truly heal
the animals and the earth.
YOU HAVE MADE THIS GLORIOUS DAY, MAY
WE TREAT IT AS OUR LAST AND EACH ONE
WE MEET AND EACH ANIMAL WE TREAT AS SACRED!
What of Matthew 10:39 – “I come not bring peace but a sword”?
Would it have been better to allow the Muslims their conquest of Spain? They did not behave particularly well in other parts of the world. Nor are they behaving well in Darfur.
“What of Matthew 10:39 – “I come not bring peace but a sword”? Would it have been better to allow the Muslims their conquest of Spain? They did not behave particularly well in other parts of the world. Nor are they behaving well in Darfur.”
There is no way anyone can justify violence by quoting Jesus. This clearly refers to the bitter decision one must make when one’s family and friends deny Jesus. If such a calumny were true Jesus would not have succumbed to be crucified.
Secondly, history shows that Muslims treated people of other religions better than Christians did in many instances. We can bury Compostela and blessing wars as quite contrary to Jesus. Only those who are into power and violence quote this passage of Jesus to justify war. Our leader died for us and his followers vow to die with him. It is by dying that we live. Not by Constantine’s sword. Those are certainly false who purport to “kill for him.”
Did the Christians do well in Germany or Poland? What kind of reasoning posits Christians into violence?
The best I can come up with for why James might be the patron saint of veterinarians is this story:
he brought back to life a boy who had been unjustly hanged, and had been dead for five weeks. The boy’s father was notified of the miracle while he sat at supper. The father pronounced the story nonsense, and said his son was no more alive than the roasted fowl on the table; the cooked bird promptly sat up, sprouted feathers, and flew away.
from http://saints.sqpn.com/saintj11.htm
“Not peace but a sword” seems to confirm Joshua and the other warriors of the Bible.
That Muslims were kinder than Christians is hilariously counter-historical [except in novels and on television].
Despite modern humanitarianism [which excepts abortion as kindly], death for Christians is not the end of it all.
For the Poles and the Germans [and the Irish and the Scots and the Vandals and the Huns], our forefathers seem to have taken pleasure in killing each other. I do not know that it was a teaching of the Church.
“And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell”. [Matt 10:28]
“I do not know that it was a teaching of the Church.” Ever hear of Urban II and Innocent III among other popes?
Look up Saladin.
On another note, Doodle thanks Jean for the prayer.
She also (a best as old odgs can) joins with Bob in a prayer for jean and her family, because her posts always resonate with the stuff of the struggle to folow the master each day.
“I know that yesterday’s feast was for “James the Greater”, but I have a soft spot for anyone who has been known as “James the Lesser” simply because of translators who fought between “lesser” and “younger”. Is James the Lesser/Younger the patron saint of people with low self-esteem?”
Hi, Fr. Shawn, thx for the soft spot. My father used to make a point of explaining to me that I was named for James the Lesser. For what reason (the naming, and the explanation thereof), I’m not entirely sure. My recollection is that James the Lesser doesn’t even get his own feast day – I think he shares it with Jude, patron of lost causes, doesn’t he? No wonder we have such low self-esteem.