Daily Catholic Lectio
Thu, 25 July 2024
Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time – Thursday
Saint James Apostle, Feast
2 Corinthians 4:7-15. Matthew 20:20-28
Treasure in clay pots!
Today we commemorate Saint James, the Major Apostle. He is called ‘Major’ in order to differentiate him from Saint James, the Minor, Son of Alphaeus (cf. Mt 10:2).
James, the Major, was the son of Zebedee, brother of John. He is also known as the ‘brother of Jesus.’ He is one of the three apostles who formed a close circle with Jesus. They were with Jesus at the Transfiguration, at Jairus’ daughter’s resuscitation, and at Gethsemane’s garden.
James was the leader of the church in Jerusalem. He convened the Council of Jerusalem (cf. Acts 15). He opened the doors for the mission to the Gentiles. A Catholic epistle is attributed to James, who has a lot of insights on ‘the sacrament of anointing of the sick,’ ‘importance of faith and works,’ and ‘life through suffering.’
Saint James’ intercession is solicited by those who are in pursuit of the meaning of their lives. In the gospel reading, his mother, wife of Zebedee, comes to Jesus with a scope to find the meaning of life for their sons. Jesus instructs them that the road to glory lies in suffering.
In the first reading, Paul uses the metaphor of “treasure in a clay pot or earthen vessel.” In Paul’s time, a household had four types of vessels (cf. 2 Tim 2:20-21): golden for worship, silver for dining, wooden for collecting saliva, and clay for collecting human waste. The golden and silver vessels were handled by the master of the house, while the wooden and clay vessels were handled by the slaves. The wooden and clay vessels were treated as ‘less honourable’ and were uncared for.
Paul realises that his past life was ‘less honourable.’ God’s call came to him as a treasure. Now he holds the treasure within. The treasure adds value to the clay pot; it makes the pot precious.
When God comes to us, we become vessels of treasure. James, along with his brother and others, was fishing. Jesus called him and made him a vessel of treasure.
What are the lessons for us?
(a) God embraces us in our vulnerability and makes us valuable.
(b) God makes us strong.
(c) The clay pot that stores treasure must be very careful lest it be broken. It has to qualify itself to contain treasures within. That which is set apart for greater things must not sell itself to the ordinary.
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The pilgrims of hope are people of fortitude and forbearance. (Jubilee 2025 AD, bite 156).
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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