The Holy Apostle and Brother of the Lord in the Flesh James
Galatians 1:11-19; Matthew 13:54-58.
Read Matthew 13:54-58
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Today we celebrate the feast day of the Holy Apostle James, the brother of the Lord (in Orthodox Tradition a son of Joseph’s marriage before his betrothal to Our Lady), and so we have a scripture verse which contains a mention of this holy Apostle. What makes him holy, however, is not his relationship to St. Joseph, but his choice for Christ! We know that following the Resurrection, James will become the first bishop of Jerusalem and proclaim the gospel until his martyrdom.
In our reading today we see that the familiarity of Jesus’ neighbors and family breeds hostility when faced with His challenging preaching. This lack of reception was so great the Christ chooses not to perform many miracles in His hometown because it simply would not do any good.
This is a good reminder for us brothers and sisters. The Holy Mysteries are not magic, and our faith requires a buy-in if it is to change our lives. In other words, we must be predisposed to grace. God will not force Himself on us.
How receptive are you to the Lord’s initiatives and call in your life? Is an over-familiarity or presumption holding you back and stifling your receptivity to God’s grace?
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