The author of the Letter of James just throws it out there: Be doers of the Word, and not merely hearers (James 1: 22). If someone is hungry feed them. Be quick to hear, slow to speak and resistant to anger for anger works against God's righteousness. (James 1: 19-20).

Jesus provokes the Pharisees in this Sunday's Gospel by stating that they are more interested in ritualistic rules than they are in ethical actions. It would seem that Jesus would like his followers to get their hands dirty if it means that they will be purifying their hearts in the process. So much for public health concerns.

It's too simplistic to simply spank the Pharisees because they are too busy with protecting their doctrine and dietary habits while avoiding boldly and righteously living out their faith. We would never do such a thing, right? Episcopalians would never be identified as being too ritualistic.

Truth is, the world would be a much kinder and fairer place if everyone would simply hear and accomplish the ethical lessons written in James. It isn't easy. Simply put, human beings are complicated and often selfish. We all know that it's easier to talk about being good that it is to actually "be good."

The greatest potential for creating a healthier, fairer, and better world indeed begins within ourselves as both Jesus and the author of James suggest. We are the ones who can truly "do something about it." (Whatever "it" is).

A church's purpose, I think, is to claim Jesus' Gospel as its own based upon what its members are most passionate about in terms of truly living out their Christ-like faith. Thomas Aquinas wrote: "The genuineness of this love (Love of God and of one another) is shown when the members of The Church care for one another and are compassionate together ... According to the grace granted him, each should serve his neighbor: nobody should be despised, nobody should be treated as an outcast" ... (Aquinas, The Soul of the Church, n.d., para. #3) 

Let us work with one another to foster love in each other's hearts so that we faithfully continue to grow in Jesus and actually share his love with those around us.

Blessings Along The Way, Jim

Speaking of Rituals    Do you have a specific Sunday morning ritual that you practice every time you worship @ St. James? What about before you go to sleep at night? What's something that you ritually "do" that makes plenty of sense to you but makes absolutely no sense to anyone else who isn't familiar with you? What do you think an outsider to St. James would make of some of our religious rituals (kneeling during the Eucharist, crossings ourselves, what else)?  What rituals are symbolic not only of our religious practices but are equally representative of our faith too.