Friday of the 6th Week in Ordinary
Time
February 21, 2014 8:30am
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.
