St. James the Apostle

From today's reading:  As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.  Mark 1:19-20

Today is the day we remember St. James the Apostle.  According to Mark, James with his brother John were two of the original disciples.  Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee at the time of day when fishermen had come in from their night's work and took care of the little details that were necessary to maintain their equipment.  So Jesus sees these diligent workers and called out to them - "Come, follow me."  And Mark tells us that they left their nets and followed without hesitation. 

James was one of Jesus' inner circle along with Peter and John.  He witnessed the raising of Jarius' daughter, Jesus transfigured on the mountain and was with Jesus at Gethsemane. We don't know as much about James as we do his brother John, but his death was reported in book of Acts (12).  He was beheaded about 10 years later by Herod Agrippa I.  James is reported to have traveled to Spain as a missionary and after his death, tradition says his body was taken to Spain and buried at Compostela which has long been a pilgrimage destination.