Two of Jesus’ Apostles had the name James. They were referred to as James the Greater and James the Lesser, to keep them apart. St. James the Greater is the saint whose feastday is celebrated today around the Catholic world.
St. James the Greater worked as a fisherman with his brother St. John, his father Zebedee, and their partner Simon in the village of Bethsaida. Sts. John and James were followers of St. John the Baptist and, later, Jesus.
Some historians and scholars claim that the Galilean origin of St. James could explain the temper and vehemence of character – which earned him and his brother the name “Sons of Thunder.” The Galilean “spirit” was religious, hardy, industrious, brave, and strong in defending the Jewish nation. Several stories in the Bible show a temper and fire in the two brothers that may have contributed to their nickname. All of these qualities, however, contributed to their fierce dedication to the Way of the Lord.
Along with St. Peter and St. John, St. James was part of what we might call “the inner circle of Jesus.” These three witnessed the Transfiguration, they were witnesses to certain of His miracles, like the raising of the daughter of Jairus, and they accompanied Him to the Garden of Gethsemane.
The Scriptural accounts tell us that St. James was with the other Apostles in the Upper Room when the risen Christ appeared to them on Easter Sunday. A few days after the Resurrection, the “inner circle” and several other Apostles encountered Jesus on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Finally, James witnessed Christ’s Ascension into heaven and was present in the Upper Room on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and the Blessed Mother in tongues of fire. St. James, pray for us.
