James, son of Alphaeus

James   "Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.
   "The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
   "Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, 'Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" (Matthew 10:1-7)

James. The Son of Alpheus and known as James the Younger, or James the Less. “He was an inconspicuous figure, for he was short in stature of perhaps he was just the younger of the two apostles named James, Mark 15:40. His father’s name was Alpheus, Matt. 10:3; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13; his mother’s, Mary, Matt. 27:56; Mark 15:40; 16:1; Luke 24:10. Since his father’s name was Alpheus, he may have been Matthew’s brother, Mark 2:14” (Edgar J. Goodspeed. The Twelve, The Story of Christ’s Apostles. New York: Collier Books, 1962. p. 52).

    St James the Less, whose feast is celebrated on May 3 was the first Bishop of the ancient church in Jerusalem and is credited with writing the Letter of James in which he exhorts his followers to lead a holy life.  It is in the Letter of James that the need for the Sacrament of the Sick and the Sacrament of Reconciliation are explained to the early Christians.
    James is pictured holding the Bible.  In the window below are the symbols of his martyrdom.  Tradition holds that he was stoned to death and his body sawed into pieces.  The virtue of Chastity depicted in the window above demands faithfulness to God in whatever vocation He calls us to.  It is our faithfulness to His call to love that helps us become productive members of the Body of Christ, His Church symbolized by the beehive.   The belt signifies the strength of our commitment to serve Him in all things.  (Compiled by Phyllis Evans)

James, the Lesser, General Audience, Pope Benedict XVI,  06/28/06