Words of Light and Hope from Tony Foottit

Words of Light and Hope from Tony Foottit.
Ragwort – James (25th July).
St. James has a special flower – Ragwort. Ragwort is also called St James’
Wort, because its cheerful golden flowers are in full bloom on St. James’
Day. Withered Ragwort can be poisonous to grazing animals, but it is the
food plant of the beautiful six-spot Burnet moths. There are two Jameses
among the apostles – St. James the Great and St. James the Less.
St. James the Great was John’s brother and one of the four fishermen that
Jesus called from the shore to become fishers of men……
The name JAMES is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name JACOB.
It means a follower, This was because Jacob followed his twin brother Esau
out of the womb, clutching his heel. Jacob and Esau were rivals, not least
because Jacob was his mother’s favourite. She encouraged him to steal
Esau’s birthright by way of a bowl of lentil soup. James and John’s mother
wanted her sons to have the best places in heaven and that made the other ten angry. But Jesus said that greatness in the kingdom means service
and the greatest leader must be the servant of all. If James is the author of
his eponymous epistle, he advocated active love not mere words.
It is through love and care that people are drawn to the love of God……
St. James the Great was the first of the Twelve to suffer martyrdom……
According to tradition James’ body was eventually taken to Compostela in
Northern Spain. Compostela became and still is a great centre of pilgrimage. James the fisherman’s badge is a scallop shell. Pilgrims attach a
scallop shell to their hat as a sign of completing their walk to Compestela.
You don’t have to go across Europe to make a pilgrimage.
Every time we come to church we are making a little pilgrimage – going to a
holy place to be in the company of Jesus and his people and rediscovering
that we are all members of his fishing team. It means seeing things from a
different perspective……
Give me my scallop-shell of quiet, my staff of faith to walk upon, my scrip
of joy – immortal diet, my bottle of salvation, my gown of glory –– hope’s
true gauge, and thus I’ll make my pilgrimage – Sir Walter Raleigh.