Sunday, February 23, 2014

Friday of the 6th Week of Ordinary Time, Cycle A - February 21, 2014

Friday of the 6th Week in Ordinary Time

February 21, 2014         8:30am


Today’s first reading is probably the most famous passage in the Letter of James.
James is dealing with an issue that was to become somewhat fiery.
Martin Luther relied heavily on some of Paul’s thinking and insisted that faith alone brings salvation.
Luther insisted that any emphasis on good works in relation to salvation is against the teaching of Paul.
James, as we heard, insists on the importance of good works.
He says, “I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
Faith without works is useless.”

Today we would say that these two viewpoints, Paul and James, are reconcilable.
Paul was insisting on faith as trust in God, but without denying that faith must show itself in good works.
James is insisting that faith must involve care and service of one another, and is not just believing in a list of truths.
I think we can see that Paul and James are not really contradicting one another.
And this insight has led to a lot on ecumenical harmony today between Catholics and Lutherans.

All of this leads me to think of Pope Francis’ interview with the Italian journalist who is a non-believer, probably an agnostic.
Pope Francis said to him: “We meet together in doing good.”  
Minimally, Pope Francis is saying that we believers and non-believers can find oneness in doing good for others.
Beyond that, he may also be saying that there might be an implicit faith, an anonymous faith in some non-believers that in fact leads them to do maybe the same good things we do.
Maybe that implicit faith can become explicit and alive by our doing good together.
And maybe as a final point, we who are believers must beware not to make faith just a matter or ritual or of believing a list of truths.

If we tend our relationships well and care for those in need, all based on our faith in the Lord and on the strength we get from the sacraments, then we create an environment that is conducive and leads to faith.