James 2:1-10, (11-13), 14-17
Proper 18 (23) - Year B
We could spend a lot of time here looking at how we look with wholeness or look with partiality upon our sisters and brothers, Christian and non-Christian. This has much to do with issues of nationalism and sexuality, economics and theology.
A part of the confusion we have revolves around a little word, "works." Are works related to the limitations of law or the expansiveness of mercy? Our institutions are far better oriented toward the negative law approach. A part of the challenge the progressive movement brings to the institution is very Jamesian, a positive appreciation of works of mercy that push back the boundaries works of law and itself has no boundaries.
I am aware this issue of boundaries is one that is fraught with danger. Nonetheless:
Legally, we need to be very careful of boundary violations for they are the basis of suits that exemplify seeing through a glass, darkly.
Mercifully, we cast care to the wind and step out where angels fear to tread, willing to be sued and tried and convicted and sentenced. We do so because to not do so is a deader dead than death.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2003/september2003.html
Ahh, the old joke (or not) about a boss who gets an invisible finger from a demigod of the marketplace and bawls out an employee, who bawls out a partner, who bawls out a kid, who kicks a dog.
"Can't you track things," asks James and in so doing asks, "Can't you break the pattern where you are?"
While appreciating that faith by itself is "dead" if it has no "works," this does lead us to a new legalism, keeping every jot and tittle of a work ethic and setting all laws as equally valid in all situations. This passage was shaped to lead us to this conclusion. An important antidote to a Protestant Work Ethic and literalistic doctrine is found in the missing section - mercy triumphs over judgment. While James is talking about specific rules in a negative fashion - whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it - we do also need the positive spin of mercy that brings the freedom to intentionally break some rules when they lead to a reduction in love of neighbor.
It is this mercy that will rebalance the world, not equalizing income, but, amazingly, the equalizing of resources does open up new possibilities for mercy to become an organizing principle for human interaction. And around and around we go. A helpful focus here is the connection of loving neighbor with mercy. This helps us deal with those we would otherwise shunt onto the siding of evil. And so a restatement might be, "You shall be merciful with your neighbor as you are merciful with yourself." This reestablishes a relationship rather than a rule that all too easily slides into whether or not I like my neighbor.
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Kelly (Reader) said...
Ahhh! I've spent all week reading commentaries on this text and, quite frankly, yours is one of the most balanced and fresh, especially "You shall be merciful with your neighbor as you are merciful with yourself." Thanks!
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html
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James 2:1-17
Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23 or Isaiah 35:4-7a
Psalm 125 or Psalm 146
Mark 7:24-37
Raise a glass, "The rich and the poor have this in common: the Lord is the maker of them all."
May your heart be strong, not just from the drink, but in appreciation of a presence of G*D that sets you free to no longer judge rich and poor, but to live justice attempted and completed.
This open-eyed justice does away with acts of favoritism, in any direction, as we recognize our neighbor as ourself. This communal approach leads to mercy received, given, and shared. Such faith is practical, beyond cant.
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be opened woman from afar
be opened Jesus so near
be opened ye deaf
be opened you onlookers
be opened scoffers and praiserslet us shape one another
in G*D's image
beyond hierarchy
beyond favoritism
beyond simply beyond
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html
We are each accountable for the well-being of the whole system we are a part of. Were this not the case things would, a) fall apart and b) never change. And, no, those are not opposites.
Acts of favoritism, whatever its basis (usually power or control or desire for same) does not care for the whole.
Acts of favoritism will eventually come back to haunt and, karma-like, give opportunity for us to have to deal with the disfavored side of ourselves.
A key antidote for favoritism is reflection on the old, old question - Am I my neighbor's keeper? As long as that question is taken seriously, we are in big trouble. Keeping this question alive keeps favoritism alive.
It is important to ask it as an evaluative tool, but not as a part of every-day decision-making.
Since mercy triumphs over justice/fairness/favorites we need to take seriously issues of liberty and what it is that would keep us from freely choosing to love our neighbor. The free choice looked for is a claim to be accountable for the well-being of the whole arena in which we are located.
It will be interesting to see what opportunities this day will be recognized wherein subtle favoritism will be revealed to us and we will choose against it. Blessings on being free enough to honestly face your temptation to favoritism.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2012/09/james-21-10-11-13-14-17.html