Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
This week we have been hearing the first reading from the letter of St. James. I am grateful that this letter is included among the canonical books of the New Testament. As grateful as Protestants are for the letter of Paul to the Romans (because Romans emphasizes salvation by faith alone), Catholics are as grateful for the letter of James because James wo0uld say, “Faith without works is dead. And again, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” IN this way, James evens out faith with works.
When talking about works, James was not referring to the Sacraments as we do. The concept of the sacraments or the seven sacraments had not yet developed. It does not take even a second reading to figure out that James was talking about the simple relation between faith in Jesus Christ and the practical application of that reality to a Christian’s behavior. Thus, the day before yesterday we saw him making the connection between faith and speech and yesterday we heard him make the connection between faith and our relationship the poor. James spares no words to emphasize that unless you make the connection between faith and action, we are involved in a frivolous pursuit.
How appropriate, then, to hear Jesus say in the gospel reading, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” Faith (come after me) must be matched by action, (take up your cross).
At morning mass in during this week, the congregation and I took upon ourselves to take James instruction to his community seriously. We decided that we would indeed control our tongues as James suggests and be ready to meet Christ in strangers and in the poor. Each morning we came back and talked about how we did each day with our resolutions. As you can imagine some did better than others.
I would like to suggest this practice to all of you today. Focus on connecting your faith with actual behavior. Strive to think like Jesus, talk like Jesus and act like Jesus. In this way, our faith and our actions can come together in a harmonious way.
- Fr. Satish Joseph