Festival of St. James, Apostle
Acts 11:27—12:3a
27 At that time [when Barnabas and Saul were in Antioch,] prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine over all the world; and this took place during the reign of Claudius. 29 The disciples determined that according to their ability, each would send relief to the believers living in Judea; 30 this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
12:1 About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. 2 He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. 3a After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
2 He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. 3a After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
Today, the Church remembers St. James, celebrating his life and ministry. James and his brother, John, were the fiery duo that Jesus nicknamed “Sons of Thunder”. James was passionately devoted to Jesus. After the Resurrection, he became head of the Jerusalem church.
And then, in one sentence from Acts, we learn that King Herod had James executed on a whim. Herod, who was a wicked despot, arrested and killed James to see which direction public opinion would go. When John’s execution got good ratings, Herod arrested Peter as well. Soon after that, Peter and Paul were both executed on Vatican Hill on the same day.
Leaders who are addicted to public opinion and drunk on their own power always seem to win. They wreak havoc among the people under their care and destroy lives in the process. Sadly, they often win the day. But they will never win the battle because that eternal conflict between good and evil – death and life, has already been fought and won by Jesus.
We can lose heart when we read about the senseless deaths of almost all of Jesus’ disciples, or we can thank God for their faithfulness and celebrate the progression of the Gospel through all generations.
O Lord, Our God: Tyrants rage around us in every generation. Thank you for showing us, over and over again, that might never makes right, and that Jesus has already won the victory. AMEN