Episode Transcript  

One

James the Less 

Today is the Feast of the Apostle St. James the Less, not to be confused with James the Greater, the brother of St. John. This James was a cousin of Jesus and the first Bishop of Jerusalem. Known as “James the Just,” he was revered by both Jews and Christians for his holiness and deep life of prayer. He entered the Temple daily, and his knees became like a camel’s from constant kneeling. For about thirty years, he preached the Gospel in Jerusalem and drew many to believe in Christ.

Fearing his influence, the religious leaders brought him to the pinnacle of the Temple at Passover and demanded that he deny Jesus. But James boldly proclaimed, “Jesus, the Son of Man, sits at the right hand of the Great Power and will come on the clouds of heaven.” Enraged, they threw him from the Temple. Still alive, James fell to his knees and prayed, “Lord, forgive them.” He was then killed by a blow to the head.

His relics are venerated in the Cathedral of St. James in Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter, near the ancient Temple Mount, in harmony with early Christian tradition that he was buried on the spot where he died.

Two

James, the First Catholic Bishop of Jerusalem 

Many are surprised to learn that the Apostle James the Less was the first Bishop of Jerusalem, appointed by the Apostle Peter before Peter departed for Rome. From the very beginning, Christ entrusted His Church to the Apostles, making them the first bishops, with Peter as the visible Head and first Pope.

Every other Christian community was founded by a human being: Martin Luther founded the Lutheran Church, Jean Calvin the Presbyterian Church, and Henry VIII the Anglican Church (which later became the Episcopalian Church in America). The Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches trace their roots to Apostles like St. Paul, St. John, and St. Andrew. But only the Catholic Church was founded directly by Jesus Christ Himself in Jerusalem.

Christ entrusted to the Catholic Church the fullness of His mission: the Eucharist and the Sacrifice of the Mass, the complete body of His teaching, and His own Mother Mary, given to us as our Mother. This fullness has been preserved faithfully in Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium, the living teaching authority of the Church.

Christ also instituted the Church’s visible structure and authority. He appointed Peter as the Head of the Apostles and the first Pope, and the Apostles as the first bishops. In continuity with Christ’s will, Peter consecrated James the Less as the first Bishop of Jerusalem, a fact well attested by the earliest historians and Fathers of the Church.

Many today call for a return to the "pure Christianity" of the early Church. But history proves that the early Church was and remains the Catholic Church: founded by Christ, governed by the Apostles, and continuing without break to this day.

Three

Be Doers of the Word 

St. James the Less was called “the Just” because he didn’t just hear God’s Word, he did it. His life of prayer and holiness flowed into action, and that’s exactly what he teaches us. In James chapter one, he tells us, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

It’s easy to think we’re growing in holiness because we hear Scripture, pray, or feel inspired. But James warns that if we don’t act on the Word, we’re deceiving ourselves. Meditation must lead to resolution, a concrete step we take today to live more faithfully. As St. Francis de Sales says, the chief fruit of meditation is the resolution. Without it, meditation can be dangerous, tricking us into mistaking good thoughts for real virtue.

A resolution is not just a good intention; it’s a specific action, “Today I will forgive.” “Today I will trust.” “Today I will be silent instead of gossiping.” Daily resolutions form habits. Habits form virtues. Virtues form saints. James was called “the Just” because he lived this truth. If we want to grow in holiness, we must do the same, not just hear God’s Word, but live it.

Do I have a concrete resolution flowing from my meditation every day that I can put into practice, or am I just deceiving myself?

Four

Gossip 

In Chapter Three of his letter, St. James warns us vividly about the destructive power of gossip.

He writes, “Think how small a flame can set fire to a huge forest; the tongue is a flame like that. Among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a whole wicked world in itself: it infects the entire body; catching fire itself from hell, it sets fire to the whole wheel of creation... Nobody can tame the tongue — it is a pest that will not keep still, full of deadly poison. We use it to bless the Lord and Father, but we also use it to curse men who are made in God's image: blessing and curse come out of the same mouth."

St. James teaches that if you can control your tongue, you will have mastery over yourself. Gossip is a kind of terrorism, because like terrorism, it is indiscriminate. Gossip causes devastating collateral damage, and once it is unleashed, there is no way to predict how far it will spread or who it will harm. But there is a remedy: the virtue of goodwill. Goodwill means:

1. Willing good for others — even for competitors, even for enemies.

2. Thinking well of others — giving them the benefit of the doubt.

3. Speaking well of others — recognizing that every person has a right to a good name.

So I challenge you: Try, just for one day, to completely avoid gossip.

Five

Confession in the Letter of James

James teaches about the sacrament of Confession, "Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the Church... and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another..." (James 5:14–16).

The keyword here is "therefore"—it connects the command to confess sins with the instruction to call for the elders of the Church. The Greek word for “elder” is presbyteros, which is the root of the English word priest. So when James says, “confess your sins to one another,” he is not speaking of a general sharing of faults among equals, but a specific sacramental act: confessing sins to the priests who have been called for. This passage points to the biblical foundation of the sacrament of Confession as practiced in the Catholic Church.

When Jesus rose from the dead, he gave the Apostles the power to forgive sins (John 20:22–23). This power is handed down through the sacrament of Holy Orders. Bishops receive the fullness of Holy Orders and ordain priests, giving them a true share in their mission. Through ordination, priests act in Christ’s name to offer the Eucharist and forgive sins, but they must also receive permission from their bishop to hear confessions. Through the priest, it is truly Christ who forgives, bringing healing and reconciliation.

Since sin destroys true happiness, we should make a brief daily examination of conscience, record it in a journal, and go to Confession regularly, at least once a month, to be healed and strengthened by God's grace so we too can reach the happiness we long for. 

Suggested Resolutions:

Choose one resolution for today to help you grow closer to God, or create your own. Here are some ideas to inspire you.

• Try to go one whole day without a single word of gossip.

• Practice a daily examination of conscience every day, write down your sins, and take your notes to confession this week.

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