St James Day - 25th July - we pray for all who work at Kings Cross and St Pancras Stations

July 25th is St Jame's feast day. James along with his brother John were fishermen earning a modest and sustainable living from the waters of Lake Galilee 2000 years ago. They were called one day by a charismatic figure in whose footsteps they followed for the next three years and for the rest of their lives sought to continue that which they witnessed and were part of as the first disciples of Jesus Christ. tragically this year St James feast day has been associated with death and destruction as the facts of a train crash outside Santiago Compostela because clear this morning. Some of the passengers were  pilgrims travelling to join in the festivities planned for St James.

Kings Cross has had it moments of tragedy, the kings cross fire of 1987 was  commemorated last year on its 25th anniversary at the church of the blessed sacrament. One of the legacies from that tragedy was a tightening up of safety on al l underground stations, a complete ban on smoking was introduced immediately after the fire and wooden escalators were replaced throughout the system.  With millions of passengers travelling though these stations every year it is their safety that is paramount in the mind and actions of the train companies. Emergency planning, in which faith leaders play an essential role, is an important part of the churches work in our city and it is the church leadership that provides the vital link between the statutory agencies, institutions and in the case of Kings Cross Station the travelling public.   

Merciful God 

whose holy apostle St James

leaving his father and all that he had

was obedient to the calling of your Son Jesus Christ

and followed him even to death.

help us, forsaking the false attractions of the world

to be ready at all time to answer to your call without delay.

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you 

in the unity of the Holy Spirit

one God now and for ever. Amen

The journey of discipleship, like that of life, is one into the unknown. James was the first of the Apostles to be martyred for his faith, he showed that he was ready to answer that ultimate call of faith to
share in the sufferings of Jesus himself so that he could then partake of the reward and goal of that journey. We pray for those who died in the terrible train crash in spain, for their  families whose lives have been shattered by that loss
 and for all who work within the rail industry who strive to keep us from harm.