The Homily on the Feast of St. James 2025

Solemnity of St. James, Apostle, Bishop of Jerusalem, Main Patron of the Vicariate 

Homily by Fr. Piotr Zelazko, Patriarchal Vicar of St. James vicariate 

Dear Sisters and Brothers, as we gather to celebrate the Solemnity of St. James the Apostle, our vicariate's main patron and one of the Twelve, we must recognize his significant role in spreading the Gospel. We have to see his importance as the one who was called the Brother of the Lord, we need to notice how important he is not only for the entire history of the Church, but also, in a very special way for the Vicariate of St. James for Hebrew Speaking Catholics in Israel. In the first reading, we see how the early Church faced challenges regarding the inclusion of the Gentiles. Saint James played a crucial role in advocating for unity and inclusivity, emphasizing that God's grace is for all. We have the occasion to reflect on St. James's leadership and wisdom in guiding the early Church through difficult decisions. Today, I encourage all of you to seek wisdom and unity in our communities. Described as “small but vivid,” our communities can be places where we find the knowledge and understanding to guide us towards the right decisions. 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us that not everyone who calls Him 'Lord' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the Will of the Father (Matthew 7:21). Can our small communities be the place where we, together, discover what is “the Will of the Father”? Can we learn from one another what is the meaning of the commandment: love one another (John 13:34)? Jesus compares the wise man who builds his house on the rock to those who hear and act on His (Jesus’) words. May St. James Vicariate exemplify this by the steadfast faith and actions. 

In today’s second reading from the Letter of St. James, we hear that faith without works is dead (James 2:26). The text presents to us a very concrete and practical Christianity. Faith must be lived out in our daily lives, primarily through love for our neighbors and a commitment to the poor. In this context, we must also read this famous sentence. Sometimes this declaration of St. James was set in opposition to the statements of St. Paul, according to whom we have been justified by God not by our deeds, but by our faith (cf. Galatians 2:16; Romans 3:28). However, both of these statements, seemingly opposed in their different perspectives, in reality, if well interpreted, complement each other. St. Paul opposes the pride of man who thinks he does not need the love of God, which precedes us; he opposes human self-sufficiency without the given and undeserved grace. St. James, on the other hand, speaks of works as the natural fruit of faith. Every good tree bears good fruit, says the Lord (Matthew 7:17). St. James stresses the importance of living out our faith through actions. It is about daily life acts of charity, kindness and service. It is about our attitude to love the country, the Church and the people: all the people.  

Today, maybe more than ever, the world needs our example of active love. Today, for sure, more than ever, this place as well as the entire Middle East need our brave position about what is good and moral and what is unacceptable form the point of view of Christian values. As we mourn the loss of our beloved Pope Francis, I would like to quote his famous words: God’s mercy is our liberation and our happiness. We live for mercy, and we cannot afford to be without mercy. It is the air that we breathe. (...) We need to forgive, because we need to be forgiven (April 7, 2014). We, the members of Hebrew Speaking Communities need to be the people of Mercy: forgive and ask for forgiveness, receive and spread the Love of God, as Pope Francis said: The Church must be a place of mercy freely given, where everyone can feel welcomed, loved, forgiven, and encouraged to live the good life of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium, 114). 

Let us embody the teachings of St. James in our daily lives, fostering unity, living out our faith through works, and building our lives on the solid foundation of Christ's teachings. Let us ask for the intercession of St. James to help the community grow in faith, wisdom, and unity. Happy feast!