Bishop surveys Carriacou after Beryl
July 24, 2024
Friday July 26th: Hope, perseverance and divine grace
July 26, 2024
St James, Apostle
“… Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave, …”
Matthew 20:20-28
Today we celebrate the feast of St. James who belonged to Jesus’ inner circle. We often hear, “Is not what you know, is who you know!” This however is only for the natural world.
James’ mother, like any mother, had ambitions for her children and sought a high position from Jesus for them. Jesus asks, “Can you drink the cup?” James eagerly answered affirmatively! He was the first apostle to be martyred!
Like James, we are innately self-centred and desire to gain whatever we can, even praise. Jesus’ lesson today is as relevant as it was at the time of his disciples. He turns the tables on us too when he says, “Anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant… anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, … the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve….” Service always entails some suffering!
I pray for the grace of humble service for us all who aspire to leadership positions.
