+ Today we have two very
brief but preeminently powerful readings. In the first reading St. James compels us to set aside our own plans –
entirely, completely and with no strings attached: plans for tomorrow, for next
week, next year: indeed, even plans for the rest of the day!
He who says today or tomorrow we will
go here or there, spend a year doing such and such – making this or that amount
of profit – is “a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears.” In the sight of God our plans are
nothing, nothing at all.
But if we learn to say first: if
the Lord wills it, we shall do this or that – then, we can have every
confidence that the future will be bright, hopeful and fruitful, abundantly so,
because it will be God’s will, way and timing in all events – and it will be
preeminently good, righteous and contributing to the building up of God’s
kingdom.
A true disciple of Christ, follows Christ’s lead, and does not drag him
along behind himself as he tries to plod his own way into all kinds of
self-styled evil and mischievous adventures!
In the gospel
passage, Jesus thwarts the
plans of John [and the rest of the Apostles] when he tells them that there are many ways and means to do good and
follow the spirit of the gospel, and to use his holy name in thus doing good:
and so they are not to try to stop them – because those who do mighty deeds in
the name of the Lord, cannot be speaking ill of him at the same time: and
what they do manifests the glory of God, and is pleasing to God just as any
other more conventional and even bureaucratic way would be!
Blessed are the poor in spirit: God is both in them and works through
them for the glorification of his Name, and the sanctification of the world.
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