The Feast of St James | Monday 25 July 2022

Today is Monday the 25th July, the feast of Saint James.

Liz Vice with The Porter’s Gate sings, ‘We Labor Unto Glory’.

My God, my God, where e'er I go
Glo-o-ory
Where I reap and where I sow
Glo-o-ory
And my hand it grips the thorn
Glo-o-ory
In the still and in the storm
Glo-o-ory, glo-o-ory
Oh, we labor unto glory
Till heaven and earth are one
Oh, we labor unto glory
Until God's kingdom comes
The sun it shines and then goes down
Glo-o-ory
Rain, it pours and beats the ground
Glo-o-ory
Dust, it blows and ends my days
Glo-o-ory
Hearts they burn beneath Your gaze
Glo-o-ory, glo-o-ory
Oh, we labor unto glory
Till heaven and earth are one
Oh, we labor unto glory
Until God's kingdom comes
My heart, my hands, they're kingdom bound
Glo-o-ory
Where thorns no longer curse the ground
Glo-o-ory
Trim the wick, ignate the flame
Glo-o-ory
My work, it will not be in vain
Glo-o-ory, glo-o-ory
Oh, we labor unto glory
Till heaven and earth are one
Oh, we labor unto glory
Until God's kingdom comes
Oh, we labor unto glory
Till heaven and earth are one
Oh, we labor unto glory
Until God's kingdom comes
Until God's kingdom comes
Until God's kingdom comes


Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 20:20-28

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favour of him. And he said to her, ‘What do you want?’ She said to him, ‘Declare that these two sons of mine will 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 about to drink?’ They said to him, ‘We are able.’ He said to them, ‘You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.’

When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.’

This episode would work well in a soap opera or TV show! The mother of James and John sees an opportunity for advancement and she makes a cheeky request of Jesus. Her sons are there. Other disciples are not far away. Can you imagine this scene?

And following on from this episode, can you also imagine the atmosphere amongst the disciples, and possibly their respective mothers?

What’s all this like for Jesus as he tries to make an important point to them all?

As you listen again, get into the scene; consider or imagine the bystanders, eavesdropping . . .

Take yourself to the end of that day with Jesus and the still fractious community. Sit with Jesus as he processes the events of the day.


Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.