Our second reading today, well the reading from the New Testament after the psalm, was from the book of James. We don’t often read from the book of James. It’s only five chapters long, it’s super small. We find it obviously after the gospels amongst the writings of Saint Paul.

And who is this James? Who is this James that we hear from today? It’s neither James the greater nor James the Lesser, two of Jesus’s apostles, two of the 12. It’s neither one of them. Scholars think that it might be the other James that we hear about, the one that we hear asked about of Jesus referring to his brother or his kin’s person or a cousin, James. It could be that James that we hear to. It was decidedly a Jewish person writing for a Jewish audience.

And I’m talking about Saint James today because this very short, very, very short scripture passage that we have for today is very powerful. I wanna go through it just a little bit to pull out some of its power. It directs us deeply at the word which is Jesus among us.

First, James writes to all his brothers and sisters, all good giving, or as we heard in the opening prayer, all good gifts, every perfect gift comes from God who is above, the father of lights. Sometimes we hear about God the father of mercy in reconciliation. This titles God the father of light, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change in an uncertain world amongst the changes of this world. It’s nice to know that God of light is without alteration, without change, God forever and ever.

And here’s the gift that God gave us. Here’s what it says: “We, God, willed to give us birth by the word of truth, his son Jesus, that we may be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.” We heard dan sing about that in the gospel acclimation.

God wanted us to become first fruits of his love through his son Jesus. That was the gift that God bestowed upon us. And we can’t talk about that gift enough. And St. James puts it right at the top, reminding all of his listeners of the gift that is Jesus to the world. And that we who have new birth through Jesus might be the first fruits. And then the invitation for all of us. Humbly welcome the word.

I sometimes have to struggle with humility. Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you, all of you through your own baptism a long time ago. Humbly welcome that word that is Jesus that’s been planted in you and is able to save your souls. Isn’t that beautiful?

That word of God, which is Jesus in whom we’ve been baptized is that which saves our souls. And then something very practical. St. James says, “be doers then, be doers of the word, not only hearers, but be doers of the word.”

And don’t think that only listening to the word is okay. He says, “it’s actually deluding yourself. Be doers of the word.” And what does it mean to be doers of the word? Caring for orphans and widows. That’s the mission of mercy home for boys and girls, caring for orphans or people who need a little help on their journey and widows and their affliction. Keep oneself unstained by the word.

Coupled with the gospel, which reminds us to make sure that we’re not doing anything through our own conscious choices, our own decisions, our own actions, which defile us, we have a great recipe and great reminder of what it means to be a walker, a disciple, a follower of Christ Jesus.

Keep the word of God, Jesus, deeply in our hearts. Let that be animated in the world around us.

So many times we’re told to keep our faith to ourselves. That’s not what St. James says at all. Be doers of the word by our actions And be doers of the word by our invitation.

How many of you have ever invited somebody else to watch the mass on Mercy Home for Boys and Girls?

How many of you have actually invited another person to come to mass with you? They’ll even drive and buy breakfast afterwards. How many of you have invited anyone to walk with you or have you shared your journey with Christ Jesus?

The letter to St. James is worth a read. In fact, all five chapters of St. James are worth a read in your private time this week.

St. James really calls us, the book of James really calls us deeply to walk with Jesus and then share Jesus, the word of God with the world around us.

Thanks for making that happen.

Amen.