Name Your Faith

Saint James the Greater, by Guido Reni (1575–1642), c.1636-38, located at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas; size Height: 132.4102 cm (52.13 in). Width: 98.7552 cm (38.88 in). For additional details, see: Guido Reni, Italian (Bolognese), 1575–1642, ‘Saint James the Greater’ at the Museum of Fine Art’s site.

James has many nicknames. Besides “apostle,” he is “the Greater” to distinguish him from the other, younger apostle also named James. He was “son of Zebedee,” which identified his fishing roots. He and his brother John the Apostle were the “sons of thunder,” reflecting a familial temper trait. He is also “the Martyr,” being the first apostle to suffer such a fate. The shrine in his name in Santiago de Compostela refers to his supposed missionary work in Spain. Those names all indicate that he was very much larger than life and multifaceted. By what nickname would you want to be remembered?

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