Jul 25 – Feast of St. James, Apostle
St. James (died 44) was the first Apostle to be martyred. He preached in Samaria, Judea, and Spain. His work in Spain, and the housing of his relics there, led to his patronage of the country and all things Spanish.
Like all men of renown, many stories grew up around St. James. In one, he brought back to life a boy who had been unjustly hanged, and had been dead for five weeks. The boy’s father was notified of the miracle while he sat at supper. The father pronounced the story nonsense, and said his son was no more alive than the roasted fowl on the table; the cooked bird promptly sat up, sprouted feathers, and flew away.
- Patron Saint Index
2 Cor 4:7-15
Mt 20:20-28
“…just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
I recently had the opportunity to revisit an old workplace. Having not been there for over a decade, I was expecting the occasion to be a happy one as I reminisced about my successes during that tour.
However I was taken aback when memories of the struggles and difficulties I faced during that stint resurfaced when I got there. All my old colleagues had moved on and I didn’t recognise anyone there. Moreover, the compound had been renovated and looked completely different. My experience was nowhere close to what I had expected.
Reflecting on that visit, I realised that I had romanticized my time there. It took being physically present there to allow for my true feelings about that situation to appear. And this made me wonder as to how misleading our thoughts can be when we think about either the past or the future.
Our thoughts about what could have been or what will be, interfere with our ability to be present in the moment. And, as you might have experienced, situations are rarely as bad or as good as we anticipate or recall.
However it is challenging to maintain deep focus while accomplishing our tasks. True mastery of the mind takes years of practice and discipline. It is control of the mind that separates the good from the great. Sometimes we remain unfocused simply because we do not know what our goals are.
Looking at the apostles, they had all been able to commit fully to following Jesus and did not concern themselves about the past and the future. Had they done so, they would not have been able to serve Jesus so loyally — even after His death.
Meditation, exercise, sufficient sleep, and a good diet are some ways that we can take care of our physical beings so that our hearts and minds are able to function effectively. We should also surround ourselves with positive influences in the form of the friends we mingle with and the media we consume. Being mindful and present requires that there are as few worries and distractions in our lives as possible.
With presence will come the ability to see the wonders and mercies of God around us, and to see the beauty of our lives. Brothers and sisters, it is my hope that you find your own special way to stay grounded in the now, while still being hopeful about the future God has planned for you.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Gregory Mathew)
Prayer: We ask you dear Lord, to keep our minds focused on what we can do best in the here and now.
Thanksgiving: We are grateful for apostles who continue to inspire us and intercede for us as we serve others in your name.
OXYGEN 
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