Endure trials patiently
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greetings to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.
2 Consider yourselves fortunate, my brothers and sisters, when you meet with every kind of trial,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith makes you steadfast.
4 Let your steadfastness become perfect with deeds, that you yourselves may be perfect and blame less, without any defect.
5 If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God who gives to all easily and unconditionally.
6 But ask with faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave driven and tossed on the sea by the wind.
7 Such a person should not expect anything from the Lord, since the doubter has two minds
8 and his conduct will always be insecure.
9 Let the believer who is poor boast in been uplifted,
10 and let the rich one boast in being humbled, because he will pass away like the flower of the field.
11 The sun rises and its heat dries the grass; the flower withers and its beauty vanishes. So, too, will the rich person fade away even in the midst of his pursuits.
12 Happy are those who pa tient ly endure trials, because afterwards they will receive the crown of life which the Lord promised to those who love him.
13 No one, when tempted, should say, “This temptation comes from God.” God is never tempted and he can never tempt anyone.
14 Instead, each of us is lured and enticed by our own evil desire.
15 Once this desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when fully grown, gives birth to death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved.
17 Every good and perfect gift comes from above, from the Father of Light, in whom there is no change or shadow of a change.
18 By his own will he gave us life through the Word of Truth, that we might be a kind of offering to him among his creatures.
19 My beloved, be quick to hear but slow to speak and slow to anger,
20 for human anger does not fulfill the justice of God.
21 So get rid of any filth and reject the prevailing evil, and welcome the Word that has been planted in you and has the power to save you.
22 Be doers of the Word and not just hearers, lest you deceive yourselves.
23 The hearer who does not become a doer is like that one who looked himself at the mirror.
24 He looked and then promptly forgot what he was like.
25 But those who fix their gaze on the perfect law of freedom and hold onto it, not listening and then forgetting, but acting on it, will find blessing on their deeds.
26 Those who think they are religious but do not restrain their tongue, deceive themselves and their religion is in vain.
27 In the sight of God, our Father, pure and blameless religion lies in helping the orphans and widows in their need and keeping oneself from the world’s corruption.
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Comments Letter to James, Chapter 1
• 1.2 What is most impressive at the beginning of the letter is the firmness of faith. James is a man who does not hesitate and we feel very reassured by his con viction: ask God because he gives to everyone. Fortunate when you meet with every trial.
The testing of your faith. (v. 3). We are not in this world to have a good time. What matters is to take advantage of the time God gives us to grow and mature as persons. The person who has not suffered knows very little. Oftentimes, those who have suffered do not realize that they owe the best in themselves to their having had to overcome a thousand difficulties.
To save the poor and the afflicted does not consist so much in comforting them or giving them bread as in helping them to face their destiny, to realize themselves through their own efforts and to discover they are helpless if they do not first acknowledge their brothers and sisters and act with them.
If any of you is lacking in wisdom (v. 5). God has placed in our midst all that we need to solve our prob lems. The wisdom that makes us be responsible for our destiny instead of being passive comes from him.
Ask with faith (v. 6). The one who knows what are the obstacles from which God wishes to save him will be the one who has no hesitation in asking with faith.
No one should say (v. 13). Most people are secretly resentful toward God and do not miss an opportunity to blame him for their own mistakes.
• 16. The Father of Light in whom there is no change or shadow of a change (v. 17). Because we are inconstant, James invites us to look to the Father who does not change and whose holiness and happiness are touched by nothing. What an amazing thing: in his eternity, the Father enjoys our presence, while we who live in time do not yet know how to focus on him. We must acquire the same firmness and constancy that are in God.
He gave us life (v. 18). This affirmation will be developed in 1 P 1. It is a reminder of baptism through which we received new life. James draws this conclusion: we must keep the word of God, meditate on it to find out what it demands of us. It is not enough to have improved our lives for a while in preparation for baptism; we must persevere on the path of goodness.