Lent Day 21: April 1

Lenten Reflection for Day 21

Date: Friday April 1, 2011

Author: Pastor Pat Harris

Bible Passage:

James 2:14–17 (NRSV)

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, ¹⁶ 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? ¹⁷ So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

Reflection:

This passage can be a difficult one for Lutherans to deal with, because at first glance it can seem to be at odds with one of the prime tenets of Lutheran belief, that we are saved through faith, not by works. This strong Lutheran belief is grounded in Paul’s Letter to the Romans: since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,…For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. (Romans 3:23-24, 28)

How can this passage, from James’ letter, about the importance of “works” be read and interpreted without undermining our strong belief in justification by faith? It helps me to think that anyone having a “lively faith” would be moved to help their brothers, sisters, neighbors and community members. When we realize that God has given us the gift of faith, and along with it, forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ, we are so filled with gratitude that we just want to do things for others. When we realize how much God has done for us, doing things such as: feeding our neighbors, advocating for those who living in poverty, helping with shelter and clothing for those who have none, all seem to flow out of our faith.

To paraphrase Luther, now that God has done all the heavy lifting by giving us grace, faith and forgiveness of sins, what are we going to do with all of our time?? Why help our neighbor, of course!!

Prayer:

Gracious God, you have given me so much: life, faith, forgiveness of sins, and the promise of salvation through Jesus Christ. Help me to express the “lively faith” which you have given me through what I do for others. Help me to see and help those who are hungry, cold, homeless, suffering or lonely. Amen