Today, the Church invites us to reflect on the life and witness of one of her great ambassadors, St. James. A son of Zebedee and often considered a cousin of Jesus, James was a man who made decisive choices and lived with conviction. Though fully human and aware of his limitations, he trusted in the sustaining grace of God to carry him through life’s most difficult moments.
As St. Paul reminds us, we hold the treasures of God’s grace in fragile vessels (2 Cor 4:7-15), and this reality calls for humility and discernment. Yet, we must be courageous, manifesting our willingness to stand firm in our faith even when the outcome is uncertain or the path unclear.
The heart of the matter is this: we always make choices, to step in or step away, commit or hold back. St. James and the other apostles and early disciples of Jesus once faced similar crossroads. God called them, as He now calls us, to go forth and bear fruit that will endure (John 15:16). They chose well, and their legacy continues to inspire us and will inspire future generations. You, too, can respond as they did, today and always.