Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 339

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

Pharisaic Judaism was just as aware of hypocrisy, and the split between appearance and reality, as the early Christians. Everybody knows that some people put on a marvelous show of goodwill, generosity, and benevolence but hide a rancid core of malevolence in their hearts. In some, perhaps most, cases, they are completely unaware of that vicious streak. They have effectively fooled themselves. They believe, in the parlance of the entertainment industry, their own press clippings.

Many people today, especially in our time of severe political polarization, put enormous stock in their opinions. These, they suppose, are the same as faith. Belonging to the right "tribe," even if they do nothing about it, somehow makes a difference.

Religious liberals, for instance, are known for their reluctance to pay for their opinions. They have very strong beliefs about religion but support no church. None, it seems, is worthy of their devotion. Religious conservatives, on the other hand, often make substantial donations to their particular causes. Like it or not, they make a difference! They might not support this or that parish or diocese where people actually live, but they will support the loudest representation of their cherished, traditional values.

Saint James challenges all that nonsense. We're not saved by our beliefs, those idle opinions about pie-in-the-sky doctrines.

There has been some controversy lately about whether American Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Some polls indicate a widespread lack of enthusiasm for the official teaching. In fact a majority of self-identified Catholics say that the Sacrament is a "symbol." But the majority of self-identified Catholics don't attend church so their opinion really doesn't matter. The same polls show that those who attend Sunday and weekday masses endorse whatever the Church says about "real presence" and "transubstantiation" -- whatever those odd words mean.

They show up because the Lord shows up! Their presence is real, as is the Lord's. That sacrifice of time effects their sacrificial giving and their sacred presence outside the Church.

I listened to a woman complain about the rude behavior of soft ball players on Sunday morning and remarked, "They don't go to Church. Maybe that's why they're so rude." She got very upset about that, about what I had impugned! I had supposed she attended church on Saturday evening. Apparently I was wrong.

Our faith is practical; it is practiced. It is real because we make a difference, not as Americans or Veterans or good citizens, but as disciples of Jesus. People who know us are not surprised to learn we are Catholic or Christian. It was obvious from the start, in our manner, our actions, and our good works.