Rev. Molly F. James, PhD
July 25, Feast of St. James
Jeremiah 45:1-5; Acts 11:27-12:3; Matthew 20:20-28; Psalm 7:1-10
May God’s Word be Spoken. May God’s Word be heard and may that point us to the Living Word who is Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
I come from a large extended family, and I have a number of cousins who were born when I was old enough to be involved in their care. And I have a niece who is a few years older than our children. This taught me about how to change diapers and some of the basics, but it by no means prepared me for the reality of becoming a mother myself. I would guess that those of you who are parents would concur that no amount of reading or babysitting can fully prepare you for the reality of parenthood. It is something that just has to be lived into!
It is interesting to me that we cannot fully prepare for some of the biggest most important commitments of our lives - marriage, having children or even becoming a Christian. Interestingly, more and more people are getting married (and having children) when they are older . . . we like to plan, we like to prepare, we like to be sure we have done all the research to ensure that we do everything right and avoid all the potential pitfalls. But we can’t plan for everything. We can’t know everything in advance. And that is okay.
That is what St. James has to remind us of on this day. Sometimes in life, we just have to jump in with both feet . . . that is what James does in today’s Gospel reading. (Although we do have point out that he might have been a little reticent, since he had his mother ask Jesus for him!) Nonetheless, James asks to go where Jesus goes, to sit at his right hand and to drink the cup he drinks. This is quite a commitment. James cannot possibly fully understand what he is getting into. He cannot possibly realize that Jesus will be crucified by the Romans, and that he himself will also be killed - by Herod who fears the followers of Jesus. James cannot possibly know what it means to commit himself to Jesus, to be a follower of him. And yet he jumps in with both feet. He and his brother swear that they are ready and able to follow Jesus - wherever the path may lead.
Why does James do this? Why does his mother want him to? While they cannot know the full story, I am sure they realize that following Jesus is a risky choice, even a dangerous one. And yet they do. Because they see something in Jesus. Because they know in their gut that Jesus has something to offer them that no one else does. They realize that Jesus is not just another prophet or another wise teacher - they realize that he is the Son of God, and they realize how their lives will be transformed by choosing to follow Jesus.
That same invitation is open to us today. Jesus invites us to jump in with both feet. Blessedly we can rest assured that following Jesus is not as dangerous (at least here in America) as it once was, and so we are free to take the plunge without fearing for our lives. Even if the risk isn’t as great. But Jesus asks of us the same enthusiasm and commitment that James and his family showed. Jesus wants us to jump in with both feet! To follow joyfully even if we don’t know exactly where we are headed. It is okay. Jesus is walking with us every step of the way. Just like getting married and having children, the future is uncertain, but we can be confident in our companions. So, as we remember the courage and enthusiasm of St. James today, I invite us to follow his example and to live our faith with a greater excitement and a deeper commitment as we follow our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
AMEN.
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