As we read from the Letter of St James in second reading of the Sunday Lectionary, we consider the history of this great apostle who is called the "brother of the Lord."
James the Lesser was shorter than the other James call the Greater, but he was actually his uncle! This James the Less is the son of Alpheus (called Cleophas), the "brother of the Lord" (meaning the cousin of Jesus and the nephew of St Joseph), the brother of St Jude and St Salome the wife of Zebedee, and the first bishop of Jerusalem. St James the Less was called "James the Just" and was most highly respected even by the Jews.
(This sermon is part of an intentional effort to preach on all the Apostles at Sunday Masses from July 2024 to January 2026. The sermons on the other Apostles can be found [here].)
Listen online [here]!
