Our venerable father James, Bishop and Confessor, was inclined toward the ascetic life from his early years. St. James left the world and entered the Studite monastery, where he was tonsured. He led a strict life, full of works, fasting, and prayer. Pious and well versed in Holy Scripture, St. James was elevated to the bishop’s throne of Catania(Sicily). During the reign of the iconoclast emperor Constantine V Copronymus (741-775), St. James was repeatedly urged not to venerate the holy icons. They exhausted him in prison, starved him, and beat him, but he bravely endured all these torments. St. James died in exile.
O guide of the true faith, mirror of piety and commendable behavior, bright star of the universe, and adornment of pontiffs, you enlightened us all by your teachings. O wise James, inspired by God and lyre of the Holy Spirit, intercede with Christ our God that He may save our souls.
By mortifying your body, O blessed James, you abandoned the world and followed Christ. You were given the anointing of the priesthood and have been admitted to angelic choirs. Now pray for all of us who bless you.
Brothers and sisters: Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a mere copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself that he might appear before God now on our behalf. Not that he might offer himself there again and again, as the high priest enters year after year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; if that were so, he would have had to suffer death over and over from the creation of the world. But now he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away sins once for all by his sacrifice. Just as it is appointed that men die once, and after death be judged, so Christ was offered up once to take away the sins of many; he will appear a second time not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.
At that time, Jesus and his disciples set out for the village around Caesarea Phillipi. On the way he asked his disciples this question: “Who do people say that I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptizer, others, Elijah, still others, one of the prophets.” “And you,” Jesus went on to ask, “who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah!” Then Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone about him. He began to teach them that the Son of Man had to suffer much, be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, be put to death, and rise three days later.
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Thursday, March 19 –
