These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
It is the same with ships: even though they are so large and driven by fierce winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination wishes. In the same way the tongue is a small member and yet has great pretensions. No man can tame the tongue. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. (Jas 3:1-10)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021922.cfm
The tongue . . . is quick to tear down with a cutting word, but it can also be used to build up. The Virgin Mary invites us to use our tongues to sing together with her the praises of the Lord.
So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (Jas 2:14-24, 26)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021822.cfm
Faith and works is not either/or. Rather faith and works go to together as the Letter of James points out. And as common wisdom has always observed, actions speak louder than words. Or as Ricardo Arjona, a popular Latin American artist, sings: Jesus is a Verb, not a Noun (Jesús es Verbo, no Sustantivo).
Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” (Mk 8:27-33)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021722.cfm
Saint Peter’s habit of putting his foot in his mouth is pretty good news for all of us . . . because there’s hope that we too might finally be able to give good witness to Christ as Saint Peter did. Today's painting is the Crucifixion of Saint Peter by Carvaggio.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (Jas 1:19-27)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021622.cfm
To care for widows and orphans . . . religion is never what the world or we think it is—it’s much more practical. As the Scriptures remind us, to say we love God but hate our brother, we are liars (1 Jn 4:20). Love of neighbor is essential, not optional. Today's photo is of my friend, Father Ted Hochstatter, who is a missionary in Kenya. The following three videos (from 2010) are of Father Ted’s ministry in Kenya where he still works. Part 1 https://youtu.be/wxGYYa0_2cY Part 2 https://youtu.be/Y_4FH-27oMM Part 3 https://youtu.be/4Q7rjzZVPFI
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread . . . When Jesus became aware of this he said to them, “Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?” They answered him, “Twelve.” “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?” They answered him, “Seven.” He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” (Mk 8:14-21)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021522.cfm
We have to admit that sometimes we still do not understand or appreciate the Bread of Life that the Lord provides for us. Perhaps the following Biblical references to the meals of Jesus might help us. https://ncmtnpadre.com/index.php/en-us/item/1498-the-meals-of-jesus
