July 25, 2025 Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Feast of Saint James, Apostle
Daily Readings: 2 Corinthians 4:7–15; Matthew 20:20–28
Today, Holy Mother Church celebrates the feast of St. James, the Apostle, son of Zebedee and brother of John. He is famously known as one of the Boanerges “sons of thunder” a title that reflects his passionate and fiery nature. James was not perfect; in fact, like many of us, he wrestled with selfishness and ambition, which is evident in the Gospel passage of the day.
Matthew, sensitive to the Jewish converts among his audience, tactfully places the request for positions of honor to sit at Jesus’ right and left not directly in the mouths of James and John, but on their mother. Even so, James and his brother openly express their willingness to drink the cup of suffering that comes with discipleship. The other ten apostles, annoyed by this ambition, confront them. But Jesus transforms this moment of tension into a profound lesson on servant leadership.
He reminds them that authority in the Kingdom of God is not for domination, but for service. Jesus Himself is the perfect model He came not to be served but to serve, and to lay down His life as a ransom for many. His vocation of sacrificial love becomes the template for every disciple’s calling.
In the First Reading from 2 Corinthians, St. Paul uses a beautiful metaphor: “We hold this treasure in clay jars.” The treasure is the Gospel the Good News of salvation. The clay jars are human beings fragile and flawed. Paul acknowledges that we are not perfect vessels. We are vulnerable, subject to trials, afflictions, and persecution. And yet, it is precisely in this fragility that God’s power shines through.
God chooses to work through weakness, not in spite of it. Our limitations become the very canvas for His grace. This feast reminds us that vocation is not about perfection, but about surrender. God does not discard our weaknesses He transforms them into strength.
Call to Action: Do I hide my weaknesses in shame, or do I surrender them to God? Let us learn from St. James: acknowledge your vulnerability, trust in the power of God, and embrace the path of humble service. In our weakness, His glory is revealed.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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