It is said that Martin Luther wanted the book of James taken out of the Bible. The reason? It focuses heavily on works. You could say the theme of the book of James is contained in these well-known verses,
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘God in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2: 14-17)
What we believe is important, because what we believe leads to what we choose to do. But it is the choice and the doing that make life different and build the Kingdom of God.
Whatsoever You DO
In other famous verses from the Gospel of Matthew, we recall that Jesus said, “Whatsoever you DO to the least of my brothers, you do to me.” (Matthew 25: 41)
There is a new movie out in the US about Pope Francis. It is Pope Francis: A Man of His Word. I went to see it on Monday. The theme of the movie is how Pope Francis’ actions match his words—how he lives out what he believes. Or, put another way, the movie is about how Pope Francis practices what he preaches.
The movie began with Pope Francis’ perspective on poverty and riches, the topic of today’s reading from James.
James Opinion
James is pretty strong in his message to the early Christians of Jerusalem:
Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries.Come now
Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten,
your gold and silver have corroded,
and that corrosion will be a testimony against you;
it will devour your flesh like a fire. You have stored up treasure for the last days.
Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers
who harvested your fields are crying aloud;
and the cries of the harvesters
have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure;
you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter.
You have condemned;
you have murdered the righteous one;
he offers you no resistance.
The book of James is thought to be the first book of the Bible written, maybe as early as 45 AD—just a few years after the book of Acts describes the Christian community right after Pentecost as “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need.” (Acts 2: 44-45)
Wow, issues with greed entered the church early.
Pope Francis Version of James for the 21st Century
Interesting, what James says is very similar to what Pope Francis said when he created the World Day of the Poor last year:
“Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in deed and in truth” (1 Jn 3:18). These words of the Apostle John voice an imperative that no Christian may disregard. The seriousness with which the “beloved disciple” hands down Jesus’ command to our own day is made even clearer by the contrast between the empty words so frequently on our lips and the concrete deeds against which we are called to measure ourselves. Love has no alibi. Whenever we set out to love as Jesus loved, we have to take the Lord as our example; especially when it comes to loving the poor. The Son of God’s way of loving is well-known, and John spells it out clearly. It stands on two pillars: God loved us first (cf. 1 Jn 4:10.19), and he loved us by giving completely of himself, even to laying down his life (cf. 1 Jn 3:16).
Such love cannot go unanswered. Even though offered unconditionally, asking nothing in return, it so sets hearts on fire that all who experience it are led to love back, despite their limitations and sins. Yet this can only happen if we welcome God’s grace, his merciful charity, as fully as possible into our hearts, so that our will and even our emotions are drawn to shape our lives and bring forth compassion and works of mercy for the benefit of our brothers and sisters in need.”
Jesus Message Today: DO What It Takes to Follow Me
It is a bit disruptive to come back to readings for Ordinary Time after the readings of Lent and Easter. We come back to the Gospel of Mark right after the Transfiguration. In the Gospel of Mark, up until the Transfiguration, Jesus’ instructions to his disciples is limited to “Follow me.” Chapters 1 through 8 of Mark focus on what Jesus did and what he said to everyone. But once Peter names the great Truth, “You are the Messiah,” (Mark 8: 29) Jesus ups the ante: he begins to predict his coming Passion and Death to the disciples and begins to lead them deeper into what living as a follower of Christ is all about.
On Tuesday this week Jesus set a new standard, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” (Mark 9: 35) On Wednesday Jesus attacked the tendency toward pride and elitism, “There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mark 9:39-40)
Today Jesus elaborates on that theme:
“Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.”
So, look generously to what others do.
But…here Jesus gets tough on his disciples,
“Whoever causes one of these little ones (the child Jesus brought into their midst yesterday must have still been in the room) who believe to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.”
Ouch, Jesus.
It gets worse:
“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off…If your foot causes you to sin…cut it off…If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out…
Then, was Jesus predicting Pentecost when he said:
“Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”
So what is Jesus saying to me?
My response today goes back to the movie about Pope Francis and a homily I heard on Saturday that centered around Jesus saying to Peter, right after he forgave him and let him confess his love, “What concern is it (what would happen to another disciple) of yours? YOU follow me.”
“YOU follow me.”
How am I following Jesus? How am I practicing what I believe and preach? How am I not?
Where am I greedy? Where do I want more…even if others have less? Do I ever lead others astray? What do I need to “cut off” in me? Is there salt in my fire? Am I fully appreciative when people give me “a cup of cool water,” especially if there are differences between us? How accepting am I when others’ picture of holiness is different from mine? And does my salt have flavor—do I practice what I preach?
Just letting God through the readings ask me those questions gives me much to ponder.
What about you?
Prayer:
Lord, help me to be salt and salted with the fire of your love today. Help me remember, “YOU follow me.” Keep me from being distracted by what others do or jealous of it and focus on what I need to do. I can have a greedy heart—not so much on possessions as on virtues. The Pope Francis movie reminded me that it is true that faith with works is alive AND sometimes controversial. Is there something in me that needs to be cast out today? Show it to me, Lord. Then give the grace to turn from it and FOLLOW YOU more fully. Amen.
