St James, Apostle
"Mt 20:20-28"
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him, with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able."
To drink from the same cup was a sign of trust and intimacy. Good friends would drink from the same cup. And the meaning was not just to share drink, but to share destiny. If the cup was poisoned, they were both poisoned. If someone was able to drink from his friend's same cup, it meant that he was ready to go with him faithfully and follow the same fate.
We don't know many things about St James. But we do know one important feature of his character: he was fiercely loyal. When You, my Jesus, asked him and St John if they were able to drink Your cup, they didn't hesitate. In Latin the response is just one word: "Possumus!" - "We can." The beautiful lesson of loyalty here is that they didn't know what the cup might contain... and they didn't care. They said 'Yes' to whatever might come, as long as they could be with You. You, Lord, had promised them persecutions... never mind: Possumus! They might have to go to preach the Gospel far away from home... they couldn't care less: Possumus! They might end up dying at the hands of persecutors... but it didn't matter to them at all as long as they could be with You: Possumus!
Eventually St John did accompany You, Lord, beside the Cross, but James didn't. He failed! He told You that he would always be with You, but when You needed him most he didn't come. Yet failures aren't a problem when there is repentance and love. And James did love You. He was the first Apostle killed for Your Name (Acts 12:2); so he fulfilled his promise in the end.
Holy Mary, Virgin Most Faithful, help me to be always ready to say 'Yes' to your Son unconditionally... to whatever, whenever, wherever, however, as long as I can always stay with Him.
