Meditation on the Icon of St. James the Greater
Meditation for Icon of
St. James the Greater
Icon and meditation written in 2011. Image after the style of Veneziano.
This dear little icon of St. James the Great is full of meaning, gentleness and love. St. James, who journeyed to Spain to spread the Good News of the Gospel and the Resurrection of Christ, returned in disappointment that he had convinced so few of the veracity of his story. Mary, filled with compassion, told him his work was not in vain and that his journey to Spain had sown the seeds of later enlightenment and spiritual growth. This indeed has been shown to be true especially in the 13th century where there was much fervour for all things spiritual.
Here, St. James is depicted holding on very tightly to his staff. His grip is such that it is almost bending under the force, so much does he want the message of Christ to be shared with the world today. His sign of the scallop shell hangs from a hook. The shell is an enduring symbol of a substance that can withstand much weathering and forces of erosion and yet is an object of beauty.
In his other hand, St. James gently clasps the Gospel. The dark covering is a reminder of the quiet and emptiness of the tomb where Jesus was buried after his crucifixion and the miracle of the resurrection thereafter. Within the pages of the Gospel is all we need to know in order to follow in His footsteps. May we read the Gospels again and again in order to discern deeper truths as we grow and mature on our spiritual journey.
The colour of his clothing is deeply significant. The blue undergarment is like the sea- endless, shimmering and deep. Light reflects off the surface of rivulets and waves of the folds of cloth. The sea of our souls, too, is endless and immense and we are all one within it, all one within the body of Christ which encompasses all. St. James outer robe is orange inside, signifying the power of the Holy Spirit enflaming our hearts with love for Christ and full of vibrational energy. The soft, dusky pink on the outside is nurturing forgiveness. Forgiveness of ourselves and of others all for the love of Jesus.
St. James looks to his right, his eyes fixed on a distant thought or contemplation. Serious yet peaceful, silent and yet with one ear revealed to listen to the still, small voice of the Almighty. The light around his neck is unusual but in between the highlights is the symbol of the cross and his imminent martyrdom. Around his head is a spiralling series of dots, forming his halo with a small diamond at the apex. The spiral is a sacred representation of life from all cultures and also prevalent in the nature of subatomic particles as they speed through modern detectors.
The modelling around the saint is softened, curved and given the appearance of being worn down and smoothed; such is the action of the holy spirit on our hearts, a slow gentle weathering away of hardened stone to smoother pebble to something more open, like the curved arches and then just the plain gold, the symbol of heaven and uncreated light- the most pure place for the soul to rest.
Mary looks down on beloved St. James, for whom she had so much compassion. A little frown in her forehead shows her motherly concern for his sadness. Christ with the crown of thorns looks on but not at anyone within the icon or without. He looks toward unfolding events and waits quietly for his sheep to return to him.
