This Sunday, July 25, our parish celebrates the feast of its patron, St. James. He is referred to as James the Great or Elder. He is the brother of St. John the evangelist; they are referred to as “sons of thunder” (Boanerges) in the Gospel of Mark.  Our parish received his name in 1863 when its founding pastor, Fr. James Reid, requested that the parish take his baptismal name.
 
Though not much is known about any of the 12 apostles, history and legend fills volumes of which it is difficult to distinguish one from the other. From the scriptures we know that St. James held special significance as he is one of the three known as the “kindred spirits.” It was James along with his brother John and Peter who were summoned to the Mount of Transfiguration to experience the Lord’s transfiguration in all its glory. There they were privy to the conversation between Moses, Elijah and Jesus as they discussed his “passage.” The scene is recorded in the vivid colors of the stained glass win- dow above our baptismal font.
 
It is known that James was martyred in the year 44 ad by King Agrippa I as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. It is believed that his remains were transported to Galicia (modern day Spain) to the town of Santiago de Compostelo. This town is considered the third most holy site in Roman Catholicism next to Jerusalem and Rome. Since the time of the middle ages (as early as the 9th century) until modern times, Christians made pilgrimage to Compostelo by foot and later on by bicycle (100 km walk or 200 km by bicycle).  In 2008 alone, over 125,000 “compestelo’s” were made. When July 25th falls on a Sunday, such as this year, it is known as a “Jubilee Year,” and the east door of the  Santiago Cathedral is opened to receive pilgrimers.
 
The story of our namesake, James, continues to unfold to this day even as we take up the “spirit” of his name. Known as the pilgrim saint he is depicted by the scallop in art, and is a constant reminder that we are a “pilgrim people” on journey with saint and sinner alike to our eternal destiny of the reign of God on earth. 
 
Happy Feast Day.