Thoughts on the Letter of James

Andrea Hutnak,  eNews Article for September 17, 2021, 

 Dear Epiphany,

 We’ve been listening to the Letter of James this month, and I’ve been imaging what he might say if he was here, somehow, visiting in our modern times, and we were in a coffee shop on this rainy morning, discussing his letter over coffee. I wonder what he might say about how the church in our times lives the themes of his letter: our relationships with each other and God, consistency in word and action, our responsibility to our neighbors in the community. In commenting, to use some of our language, perhaps he might say that faith and works are different sides of the same coin.

 I also wonder what he might say about my perspective years ago when I boarded buses to Washington DC and New York City to protest the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and sang in a feminist chorus at local peace rallies and events to raise awareness of social justice issues. I was involved in a lot of work but didn’t have much faith. Oh, I had an “If you want peace, work for justice.” bumper sticker (quoting Pope Paul VI) in our apartment, but was in a place of believing that “works” were enough. It took time and growing (and God’s grace!) to see how, without faith, it was so easy for despair to creep in, to run out of gas and have little to refill the tank, and that something at the core had been missing.

I imagine James looking at me quizzically, and with empathy explaining that what he was hearing from me was partly an unmet need for a sense of community – that, since the very beginnings of the early church, it was a central practice for the church community to care for the poor, sick, widowed, and orphaned in a society that would rather just look the other way or give up before even trying. James might share words of encouragement: That the early church took to heart that “being church” meant living into Jesus’s teaching to love our neighbors as ourselves, and by doing that we are also caring for ourselves. Serving others built up the church community, replenishing energy, renewing joy, and sustaining their ministries through the ages to become church tradition.

 James knew that that we need to both speak about our faith and act on it. He insists on that “both/and” relationship for a full life in relationship with God and each other.

            “ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of  that?  So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. “ (James 2:14-17)

 We need both faith and works, and I would say, yes, we do need both works and faith, however one practices their faith. St. Augustine writes that every one of us has a spirituality – what he calls the “ordering of our loves” or, what’s most important to us. As Christians we have the “implanted word” of God that James mentions at the beginning of his letter. In believing through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ’s love unites us with God and neighbor – love is the energy and works flow naturally from that as we come together as a community to live out our Baptismal vows: to strive for justice and peace among all people, respect the dignity of every human being, seek and serve Christ in all persons, and love our neighbors as ourselves.  

 At Epiphany we have an opportunity for both faith and works, literally at our doorstep. The Bread of Life Food Pantry and the newly reorganized This and That Thrift Shoppe at Epiphany are a ministry match made in heaven, and not just because the churches are within walking distance and on the bus line. Someone picking up food at the pantry can stop at the thrift shoppe for a can opener, utensils, and some fall/winter clothing. Will you help minister to these essential needs? Prayerfully consider getting involved by making an online donation to the food pantry, and by volunteering with the thrift shop once per month on a Tuesday evening. You just might find that your own spirit is renewed as well, thanks be to God.  

 “You pray for the hungry. Then you feed them. This is how prayer works.” – Pope Francis

 God’s Peace, Andrea