13 East – Scallop Shell – James
Velma Strickland and Nell Cox Wright – Donors
Having been a fisherman in Galilee, and having taken the road that helped him discover his spirit, the Scallop Shell is the emblem of James (the Greater, son of Zebedee) and its symbolism relates to two layers of the human condition; the physical and the spiritual. James walked a long difficult road with Jesus; he was imprisoned by his raging emotions, and he went through metaphoric fires to free himself and discover the vastness of his spirit. He learned how to live an authentic, peaceful life and he shared his personal lessons with others. The Scallop Shell has many grooved lines that lead from the outer rim to a meeting point at the base. The shell itself represents the many different pathways that lead to the same place, to the universal center of all life forms, the spirit, the soul; to our base, and to each other.
For he and all who were with him were astounded at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people. —Luke 5:9-10