Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent
Often we are reminded the importance of a faith that takes its form in practice. Indeed, this embodiment of faith is a Christian imperative. In the words of James, “Faith without works is dead” (2:14-26); faith alone is not enough. Faith is movement. Faith draws us from our sloth to be actively present in the world around us, attentive and informed.
Practice. Movement. Presence.
Today’s scriptures read like an indictment to those of us who have fallen asleep. They are filled with strong words. It is hard to avoid their direct voice:
“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”
I am surprised at how easy it is in my own life to confess my faith with my lips, but my hands remain at my side, unmoved. Why is it that, at times, it can be so difficult to act into the words we profess? I think a lot of it is the way we engage our world in contemporary society. We can, if we choose too, exist fairly disconnected from our environment. We have an unprecedented amount of distractions that pull us away from the present moment, distanced from our place and time. Too often our phones, computers, and facebook accounts become our medium for interaction with the world. Often we see groups of people, all standing close to each other, but worlds away from one another. It has become too easy for us to become consumed with “communication” taking place on our “devices”. I think sometimes, when we are faced with the opportunity to act in our actual reality, we simply fail to know how. It feels a bit awkward. It feels too close. Risk is involved.
“Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.”
In speaking to Israel, the prophet Isaiah is also challenging us, as the Body of Christ, to be present and to practice those things we profess in our faith. We must become aware of the orphans plea, the widows cause and those who have been wronged. To have faith is to find yourself in the midst of these struggles, sometimes even risking everything in the process. These, like all words, are easy to say and write, but in action require our life. This is no easy task.
Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel offer a critique to the Pharisee’s way of faith. They “lay too heavy a burden” on many and then refuse to help bear the weight. They make the practice too hard. I find the words of Jesus to be in an interesting contrast with our discussion thus far (at least such a contrast would seem to be). From the Scriptures we have been confronted with intense demands on our life: if we profess faith in God our Creator, we must actually live in a certain way. But then we hear Jesus’ critique of the Pharisees that they are making the faith too demanding. Where do we go from here? Which is it?
I think that is one of the reasons why the Church has placed these readings together in the lectionary. Often we want to draw a line between “works” and “faith”. In history, much division has erupted over this very question of faith versus works. Here the Church is saying to us, through the holy Scriptures, that the two must always be united. You cannot separate them. While Jesus critiques the actions of the Pharisees, He goes on to teach the disciples what it truly means to work out our faith. In practicing our faith, we must not exalt ourselves like the Pharisees in the Gospel, but instead seek humility. Many times this looks like feeding the hungry. Other times it is simply being with someone, not distracted but present. Sometimes the action it is not external, but finds itself in silence and contemplation. Jesus never says we do not have to do anything, rather, He shows us how.
This Lent may we be moved towards our God and one another.
May we risk something.
-Tyler DeLong