Monday, December 04, 2006

The Saint Who Chose Me

Here's my Saint for the year, thanks to Moneybags at A Catholic Life:

James the Lesser

[painting of Saint James]
Also known as
Jacobus Minor; James the Younger; James the Just
Memorial
3 May
Profile
Apostle. Cousin of Jesus. Brother of Saint Jude Thaddeus. One of the first to have visions of the risen Christ. First Bishop of Jerusalem.

Having been beaten to death, a club almost immediately became his symbol. This led to his patronage of fullers and pharmacists, both of whom use clubs in their professions.

Like all men of renown, large stories grew up around James. He is reported to have spent so much time in prayer that his knees thickened, and looked like a camel's. Soon after the Crucifixion, James said he would fast until Christ returned; the resurrected Jesus appeared to him, and fixed a meal Himself.
Died
martyred c.62 at Jerusalem by being thrown from a pinnacle of the Temple, then stoned and beaten with clubs, including fuller's mallets, while praying for his attackers
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
Patronage
apothecaries; druggists; dying people; fullers; hatmakers; hatters; milliners; pharmacists; Uruguay
Prayers
Prayer to...
Representation
fuller's club; man holding a book
Images
Gallery of images of Saint James [5 images, 103 kb]
Additional Information
Google Directory
Lives of Illustrious Men, by Saint Jerome
Goffine's Devout Instructions
Writings
canonical Letter of James
So a lesser-known apostle has chosen me. I can't think of why at the moment. I'm not from Uruguay. I'm not a druggist/pharmacist/apothecary. I don't think I'm dying--at least, not imminently. He is holding a book and he did write an Epistle. Could that be the connection?

Guess I'll have to wait and see!