MASS READINGS:

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 20:20-28

The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom." Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." He replied, "My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

REFLECTION: "My chalice you will indeed drink...."

St James was in the innermost circle of Jesus. He was the older brother of John. When Jesus called them both they were with their father Zebedee and they became His devoted followers. St James went to Spain to convert people and legend has it that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him in Saragosa, Spain, to encourage him in his evangelization efforts. He and his brother John were known as the "Sons of Zebedee" or "Sons of Thunder" for their zeal and he was known as "James the Greater".

He is the patron saint of Spain. He was beheaded by King Herod when he returned to Jerusalem ("My chalice you will indeed drink..). Santiago is Spanish for St James and his remains are held in Santiago de Compostela. The popular pilgrimage to view his grave is also known as the " Way of St James". It is a network of pilgrims' ways leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain. One of our members, Madeline Nguyen, wrote of her pilgrimage to this shrine in her Sunday reflection.

Our PAPA benefit # 17 (PAPA handbook page 15) states--"You will be eligible to take part in a pilgrimage ......to Holy Sites." The "Way of St James" is an arduous pilgrimage journey through the mountains and many who have made it have experienced the presence of God in their lives. PAPA family should pray to St James today so that we can experience in our own pilgrimage toward God a divine closeness.