FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD!
Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
My dear encountered couples:
James is telling us we are not to just say we have faith, but that we are to live the faith we say we have. “What good is it to profess faith without practicing it?” he asks. “Such faith has no power to save one, has it?” Is it not basically about the quality of our character that James is referring to? A person who says he believes in God without putting the principles and standards of God into action is a person of doubtful character. For basically he is lying. And lying is far from a person of good character.
Every human being is to strive to become a person with good human character. You and I are pledged to go even further and live with Christian character, the character of Christ. How many of us really try to make that happen? All of us here, I presume. But do we have proof? What would be a reliable sign to ourselves that we are people interested in the quality of our character? Simply this: That we do what is right when nobody is looking.
Ever think of that? There are people who are at their best when others are looking or listening, but when no one is around, it is another story. To do what is right when we are on stage just because we have an audience is not what’s worthy of applause. To do what is right when we are alone behind the scenes, that is what gets all of heaven’s acclaim.
“What good is it to profess faith without practicing it?” James asks his audience. “Such faith has no power to save one, has it? Faith without works is as dead as a body without breath.” Let us have character enough to practice our faith all the time — during those times when people are looking, and when they are not.
