This morning’s Scriptures are: Psalm 101; Psalm 109; Malachi 1:1,6-14; James 3:13–4:12; Luke 17:11-19
This morning’s Canticles are: following the OT reading, Canticle 11 (“The Third Song of Isaiah,” Isaiah 60:1-3,11a,14c,18-19, BCP, p. 87); following the Epistle reading, Canticle 16 (“The Song of Zechariah,” Luke 1:68-79, BCP, p. 92)
Each of today’s readings provides a distinct angle of vision on the horror of sin. Presumption and stinginess are to the fore in Malachi. Ingratitude is front and center in Luke. In James, it’s everything and the kitchen sink. To keep it brief, I’m going to focus on James.
Sin in James. For good reason, the Episcopal Eucharistic Prayer A confesses: “…we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death….” Sin is a pervasive and dominating force, taking us captive to soul-destroying appetites and self-deceiving motives, all of which leads to self- and other-destroying actions. James displays a white-hot anger over the sin that has reestablished dominion over these “beloved brethren” (James 1:5). Sin has made them, at least for the moment, “adulteresses” (James 4:4). Despite the masculine translation the NRSV employs (“adulterers”), the Greek word James uses is feminine, and it invokes Ezekiel’s and Hosea’s portraits of Israel as Yahweh’s unfaithful bride, sharing her intimacies with false gods. “Adulterous wife,” Ezekiel exclaims in disbelief, “who receives strangers instead of her husband!” (Ezekiel 16:32).
James is stunned that his readers have allowed hell to reestablish a foothold on earth. The very existence of his audience is supposed to be a vanguard of the age to come—an advance presence of the marriage of heaven on earth (James 1:18). What makes today’s passage so powerful is the not-so-subtle appeal that James makes to the Beatitudes his Elder Brother Jesus had taught in the Sermon on the Mount—an appeal, therefore, to becoming once again “a kind of first fruits” of new creation. A place where God has once again wedded his people, and where heaven has invaded earth.
Sin’s antidote in James. Today’s passage in James comprises the closest thing to a commentary on the beatitudes that you will find in all the New Testament:
When Jesus says that it is “the poor in spirit” to whom belongs the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3), what he means is what James says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. … Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you” (James 4:6,10).
Jesus calls those who mourn “blessed” (Matthew 5:4). It is they, not the envious, who will be comforted. James doesn’t just double down on Jesus’s teaching. He quintuples down: “Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection” (James 4:9). There’s no better explanation of what Jesus means by blessing mourning than here in James, where James contrasts appropriate sorrow over your own sinwith the stinging sorrow of “bitter envy” (Jas 3:14). Envy is bad because it is sadness over what others have that you don’t (possessions, importance, position, whatever). Envy is a sadness for which there is no comfort. It only makes you covet and fight to get what you don’t have, or at least to keep others from enjoying what they do have — maybe envy will even lead you to take your complaint to God (James 4:3). Envy is a black hole of emotional energy. It only destroys. God’s forgiving grace readily turns mourning to laughter and dejection to joy. Trust me on this.
Jesus promises the world to the meek: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). A person who is meek has self-restraint, a kind of spiritual poise. At the end of James 3:13, where the NRSV has “gentleness born of wisdom,” the Greek (and the older RSV) actually have “meekness of wisdom.” Ah, wisdom! Central to James’s teaching is wisdom, and wisdom succeeds not through brute strength and intimidation, but through persuasion and by striving for common ground. As Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has been saying of late (I paraphrase): “We need legislation for a more just society, but more, we need hearts to be persuaded to live more justly.” That’s the meekness of wisdom!
Jesus urges a hunger and a thirst for righteousness that he promises will be satisfied (meaning God will satisfy it — Matthew 5:6). James promises a harvest of righteousness will come to those who sow — and who do so God’s way: in peace (James 3:18).
Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7). James says, “The wisdom from above is … full of mercy and good fruits” (James 3:17). For both Jesus and James, a generosity of heart comes back to you. There’s much wisdom there!
Jesus says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). In echo, James says, “Purify your hearts” (James 4:8). And then when James describes the wisdom that comes from above, “pure” is the first attribute he gives it (James 3:17). That’s because the wisdom that comes from God is not diluted by worldly, carnal or demonic elements (James 3:15). And because purity of heart is, as philosopher Soren Kierkegaard would later observe, “to will one thing,” purity of heart underlies James’s persistent theme against “partiality or hypocrisy” (3:17) and double-mindedness (4:8).
According to Jesus, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). For James, precisely echoing Jesus’ words, it is those who “make peace” who will see right prevail.
“Blessed are the persecuted …” (Matthew 5:10). The theme of persecution is more subtle in James, but it’s certainly here: “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” (Jas 4:4).
James’s charge to us throughout is quite simple (again, I paraphrase): you are not called to be “adultresses.” You are called to be God’s bride! How dare you break that trust! How dare you give yourself to someone else!
Moreover, James promises that if we but resist the devil’s adulterous advances, and draw near instead to God, we will find that all along the God who loves us dearly has been most eager for us to make that move: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8).
Collect of James of Jerusalem. Grant, O God, that, following the example of your servant James the Just, brother of our Lord, your Church may give itself continually to prayer and to the reconciliation of all who are at variance and enmity; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, p. 245).
Be blessed this day,
Reggie Kidd+