(Tuesday, February 25)
Have you ever been driving a car when it ran out of gasoline? I have—more than once. It is a humbling experience to have your car suddenly stop, and be sitting in the middle of traffic unable to move. No matter how powerful an engine, no matter the extent of gadgets and accessories, an automobile is useless without fuel.
At times, as we watch the world hurrying about its business and vying for financial gain, we wonder whether or not it is about to “run out of gasoline.”
This is a point raised by St. James today. His words sound pessimistic as he contrasts living “in the world” with living in Jesus Christ (James 4:1-10).
“Adulterers! Do you not know that to be a lover of the world means enmity with God? Therefore whoever wants to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose that the Scripture speaks without meaning when it says, ‘The spirit that he has made to dwell in us tends toward jealousy?’ But he bestows a greater grace; therefore it says: ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Apparently a spirit of jealousy was driving many in James’ community—people vying with one another for a higher place on some imaginary ladder. As powerful as the spirit of jealousy is, however, God’s grace is more powerful, and is available to those who humble themselves before him, letting go of undue attachments to the world.
James digs even deeper:
“Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you of two minds. Begin to lament, to mourn, to weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection.”
Two minds! What does this mean? People were dividing their loyalties between the world and God. Loving the world implies “enmity with God.” By advocating lamentation, mourning, and weeping, James was not promoting a joyless life. Remember the first verse of his letter in which he told us to consider trials as “pure joy.” In this passage he is talking about lamenting the superficial joy that drowns out the voice of God. We lament over a worldliness that numbs us to the ways of God and the movements of the Holy Spirit.
He concludes with an exhortation on humility.
“Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.”
Isn’t this what Lent is all about? We do a re-evaluation of our lives and our motives. Have we, maybe unknowingly, allowed the spirit of the world to run our lives? Is it time to spend time with the Lord and consciously let go of anything that keeps us from getting closer to him? Then we will be exalted, not on the world’s terms, but on God’s.
In today’s Psalm response (55:7-11,23) we read:
“I would wait for (God) who saves me from the violent storm and the tempest…In the city I see violence and strife, day and night they prowl about its walls.”
Caught up in a world that is out of control—violent storms and strife—the Psalmist turns to God and finds in him a refuge of peace. Isn’t this what we do when we humble ourselves before God and quit trying to keep up with the world’s tempo?
If the world is soon to “run out of its gasoline,” we are safe, because we are riding on the “Jesus bus” and its tank is always full.
“Cast your care upon the Lord, and he will support you; never will he permit the just man to be disturbed” (Ps 55:23).
