Choose Life

"See, I set before you on this day life and good, evil and death.  I command you to love YAHWEH, your GOD and follow HIS ways.  Observe HIS commandments, HIS norms and HIS laws, and you will live and increase, and YAHWEH will give you HIS blessing in the land you are going to possess.  But if your heart turns away and does not listen, if you are drawn away and bow before other gods to serve them, I declare on this day that you shall perish.  You shall not last in the land you are going to occupy on the other side of the Jordan.

Let the heavens and the earth listen, that they may be witnesses against you.  I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse.  Therefore, choose life that you and your descendants may live, loving YAHWEH, listening to HIS voice, and being one with HIM.  In this is life for you and length of days in the land which YAHWEH swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." - Deuteronomy 30:15-20 

(This text about the two ways is very famous, reminding us of the importance of our free decisions and GOD's respect for human freedom [see also Sirach 15:11].

Throughout Deuteronomy faithfulness to GOD is spoken of together with the remembrance of HIS promises and rewards here on earth.  This should not surprise us.  In those distant times the people of GOD had no understanding of another life nor of the resurrection and the vision of GOD after death.  They only focused on the present life and their national destiny which, in their view, were more important than the destiny of the individual.  For them, GOD's justice had to be seen on earth in the present.

Later, the Gospel will not promise lands or houses, except in a figurative way [Mark 10:28].  Prosperity will not be mentioned except for the final day when GOD will create the world anew [Acts 3:21 and Revelation 21:3].)

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Return To ME With Your Whole Heart

"YAHWEH says, 'Yet even now, return to ME with your whole heart; with fasting, weeping and mourning.  Rend your heart, not your garment.  Return to YAHWEH, your GOD--gracious and compassionate.'

YAHWEH is slow to anger, full of kindness, and HE repents of having punished.

Who knows?  Probably HE will relent once more, and spare some part of the harvest, from which we may bring sacred offerings to YAHWEH, your GOD.

Blow the trumpet in Zion, proclaim a sacred fast, call a solemn assembly.

Gather the people, sanctify the community, bring together the elders, even the children and infants at the breast.  Let the bridegroom leave his bed, and the bride her room.

Between the vestibule and the altar, let the priests, YAHWEH's ministers, weep and say: Spare your people, YAHWEH.  Do not humble them or make them an object of scorn among the nations.  Why should it be said among the people: Where is their GOD?

YAHWEH has become jealous for HIS land; HE has had pity on HIS people." - Joel 2:12-18 

(Return to ME with your whole heart: an invitation to penance.  In times of hardship, public fasts were proclaimed in Israel.  People would wear mourning clothes, or they would replace their clothes with sackcloth, or they would not comb their hair and cover their faces with ashes.  In the Gospel, JESUS will not say that these signs of physical penance, like fasting to express sorrow and to accompany prayer, are useless [see Matthew 4:1 and Mark 2:20], but will make it clear that these external signs of penance are not everything, nor are they what is most important.)

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GOD Opposes The Proud But HE Gives HIS Favor To The Humble

"What causes these fights and quarrels among you?  Is it not your cravings, that make war within your own selves?  When you long for something you cannot have, you kill for it, and when you do not get what you desire, you squabble and fight.  The fact is, you do not have what you want, because you do not pray for it.  You pray for something, and you do not get it, because you pray with the wrong motive, of indulging your pleasures.  You adulterers!  Don't you know, that making friends with the world makes you enemies of GOD?  Therefore, whoever chooses to be the world's friend becomes GOD's enemy.

Can you not see the point of the saying in Scripture: 'The longing of the spirit, HE sent to dwell in us, is a jealous longing?'  But GOD has something better to give, and Scripture also says, GOD opposes the proud but HE gives HIS favor to the humble.  Give in, then, to GOD; resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw close to GOD and HE will come close to you.  Clean your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you doubters.  Recognize your distress, be miserable and weep.  Turn your laughter into tears and your joy into sadness.  Humble yourselves before the LORD and HE will raise you up." - James 4:1-10 

(You pray with the wrong motive.  James tells us that prayer obtains for us things that enable us to respond to GOD's plan [see 1:5-8].  Our prayers will not be heard if love for the world takes the place of GOD in our hearts.

What is the friendship with the world that prevents our being heard?  GOD asks us to love all the things HE created, viewing them as means of reaching HIM, and to reject what does not serve this purpose.  Loving the world is wishing for and clinging to things, without looking beyond them for GOD HIMSELF and the brothers and sisters that HE gave us.  It is adultery in the same sense as the phrase from the Gospel: "No one can serve two masters" [Matthew 6:24].  We cannot divide our love between GOD and the world; neither can we ask GOD to help us satisfy egotistical ambitions.)

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True Wisdom

"If you consider yourself wise and learned, show it by your good life, and let your actions, in all humility, be an example for others.  But if your heart is full of bitter jealousy, and ambition, do not try to show off; that would be covering up the truth; this kind of wisdom does not come from above, but from the world, and it is earthly and devilish.  Wherever there is jealousy and ambition, you will also find discord, and all that is evil.  Instead, the wisdom that comes from above is pure and peace-loving.  Persons with this wisdom show understanding, and listen to advice; they are full of compassion and good works; they are impartial and sincere.  Peacemakers, who sow peace, reap a harvest of justice." - James 3:13-18 

(What is wisdom?  Let us read the Wisdom Books of the Scriptures if we wish to know something of wisdom.  They put us on the trail of a wisdom that is a gift of GOD [1 Corinthians 1:5; Ephesians 1:9], which is acquired by prayer [Wisdom 9; Sirach 51:13; Colossians 1:9], perseverance in meditation on the word of GOD [2 Timothy 3:17], the purification of the heart through ordinary living.  James does not speak of a theoretical wisdom, but of practical wisdom.)

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Do You Not Know That You Are GOD's Temple?

"Do you not know that you are GOD's temple, and that GOD's Spirit abides within you?  If anyone destroys the temple of GOD, GOD will destroy him.  GOD's temple is holy, and you are this temple." - 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 

(Do you not know that you are GOD's temple?  CHRIST is the new Temple that takes the place of the temple of the Jews [John 2:19 and Mark 15.38].  The Temple of GOD is CHRIST because in HIM abides all the divine Mystery.  The Temple of GOD is likewise the Church because in her the Holy Spirit is working.  The Temple of GOD is also each home and each believer [see 6:19] because the Spirit lives in each one of them.)

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Shepherd The Flock Which GOD Has Entrusted To You

"I now address myself to those elders among you; I, too, am an elder, and a witness to the sufferings of CHRIST, hoping to share the glory that is to be revealed.  Shepherd the flock which GOD has entrusted to you, guarding it, not out of obligation, but, willingly, for GOD's sake; not as one looking for a reward, but with a generous heart; do not lord it over, those in your care, rather be an example to your flock.  Then, when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will be given a crown of unfading glory." - 1 Peter 5:1-4 

(In the varied counsels that follow, note what concerns the elders, leaders and pastors of the community.

In persecution Peter also sees a work of the devil, who does his best to discourage those who hope in CHRIST.

It is a proven fact that when we get ready to make an important decision or to make some commitment in the service of CHRIST, many unexpected obstacles arise.  The person who becomes intimidated loses everything.  When he tries again to take some step, the devil will increase his attacks.  These trials are common and to face them we need to be alert in our faith.)

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Faith Is Shown In Action

"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, to profess faith, without showing works?  Such faith has no power to save you.  If a brother or sister is in need of clothes or food, and one of you says, 'May things go well for you; be warm and satisfied,' without attending to their material needs, what good is that?  So, it is, for faith without deeds: it is totally dead.

Say to whoever challenges you, 'You have faith and I have good deeds; show me your faith apart from actions and I, for my part, will show you my faith in the way I act.'  Do you believe there is one GOD?  Well enough, but do not forget, that the demons, also, believe, and tremble with fear!

You foolish one, do you have to be convinced, that faith without deeds is useless?  Think of our father Abraham.  Was he not justified by the act of offering his son Isaac on the altar?  So you see, his faith was active, along with his deeds, and became perfect by what he did.  The word of Scripture was thus fulfilled, Abraham believed in GOD so he was considered a righteous person and he was called the friend of GOD.

So you see, a person is justified by works, and not by faith alone.  Likewise, we read of Rahab, the prostitute, that she was acknowledged and saved, because she welcomed the spies, and showed them another way to leave.

So, just as the body is dead without its spirit, so faith, without deeds is also dead.) - James 2:14-26 

(It is necessary to have faith to be saved, but following CHRIST cannot be theoretical; it must be shown in action, in deeds.  CHRIST HIMSELF says the same thing in Matthew 7:21: "Not everyone who says, 'LORD, LORD,' will enter the kingdom of heaven."

Let us look at the two examples that James takes from the Old Testament and let us compare them with Hebrews 11:31, and above all with Romans 4 [Galatians 3].  It seems that James and Paul draw opposite teachings from the same examples.  Paul says: Abraham was justified by faith and not by following the law.  James, on the other hand, says that they were saved by putting their faith into practice.  Actually, in speaking of practices, Paul is thinking about the religious rites and observances of the Jews that are useless for salvation, and he says that faith is at the root of all Christian life.  James, in speaking of practices, is thinking about deeds inspired by love.  Paul said the same when he wrote: "Faith works through love" [Galatians 5:6].

These apparently contrary affirmations of James and Paul were widely discussed at the beginning of the Reformation, when certain commentators bluntly affirmed that a person is saved by faith alone.  Yet it would not be sufficient to show how we can achieve reconciliation between the words of Paul and James.  There is clearly with them quite different ways of seeing and feeling and that is due as much to the diversity of human temperaments as to the richness of the Christian experience, which is not always the same for everyone.  These real differences that we find even among the apostles encourage us to accept that others may think and express their faith in ways different from our own.) 

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Treat The Rich And The Poor Equally

"My brothers and sisters, if you truly believe in our glorified LORD, JESUS CHRIST, you will not discriminate between persons.  Suppose a person enters the synagogue where you are assembled, dressed magnificently and wearing a gold ring; at the same time, a poor person enters dressed in rags.  If you focus your attention on the well-dressed and say, 'Come and sit in the best seat,' while, to the poor one you say, 'Stay standing, or else sit down at my feet,' have you not, in fact, made a distinction between the two?  Have you not judged, using a double standard?

Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters, did GOD not choose the poor of this world to receive the riches of faith, and to inherit the kingdom, which HE has promised to those who love HIM?  Yet, you despise them!  Is it not the rich who are against you, and drag you to court?  Do they not insult the holy name of CHRIST by which you are called?

If you keep the law of the kingdom, according to Scripture: Love your neighbor as yourself, you do well; but if you make distinctions between persons, you break the law, and are condemned by the same law." - James 2:1-9 

(Whoever makes a distinction between persons is not Christian.

Distinction of class, of color: there is never a reason for showing favoritism and not respecting the rights of each person, for making her wait or treating her less well.  There is at stake an instinct for justice that is linked with faith.

James speaks of distinctions within the Church and alas!  Often it is there that they tenaciously cling.  If in many countries the Church is much frequented by those who are socially well off, better educated, it is surely  because of its choices: our practices have cast aside others until they are no longer seen.

Did GOD not choose the poor of this world to receive the riches of faith?  The apostles who are our undisputed masters in faith were poor with regard to money and influence, but they were sufficiently rich in faith to sign it with their blood.

James says that the rich profane the name of CHRIST.  He speaks perhaps of the rich unbelievers who ridicule the simple faithful, or perhaps of the wealthy Christians whose way of life draws criticism of the name of CHRIST.  They profane the name of CHRIST and bring contempt on the Church.

James invites the Church to examine itself on the way we treat each other in our institutions: with whom are the pastors of the Church usually found, who are those with whom they feel at ease and in whom they confide.  What terrible truth would be revealed by an investigation of these points!)

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The FATHER Of Light In Whom There Is No Change Or Shadow Of A Change

"Do not be deceived, my beloved.  Every good and perfect gift comes from above, from the FATHER of Light, in whom there is no change, or shadow of a change.  By HIS own will, HE gave us life, through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of offering to HIM, among HIS creatures." - James 1:16-18 

(The FATHER of Light in whom there is no change or shadow of a change.  Because we are inconsistent, James invites us to look to the FATHER who does not change and whose holiness and happiness are touched by nothing.  What an amazing thing: in HIS eternity, the  FATHER enjoys our presence, while we who live in time do not yet know how to focus on HIM.  We must acquire the same firmness and constancy that are in GOD.)

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No One, When Tempted, Should Say, "This Temptation Comes From GOD."

"Happy are those who patiently endure trials, because, afterward, they will receive the crown of life, which the LORD promised to those who love HIM.  No one, when tempted, should say, 'This temptation comes from GOD.'  GOD is never tempted, and HE can never tempt anyone.  Instead, each of us is lured, and enticed, by our own evil desire.  Once this desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when fully grown, gives birth to death." - James 1:12-15 

(No one, when tempted, should say...  Most people are secretly resentful toward GOD and do not miss an opportunity to blame HIM for their own mistakes.)

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