In today’s first reading taken from the last part of the Epistle of James, we see how all-encompassing and permeating he viewed the presence and assistance of God in all of life’s daily struggles, is. So he recommends prayer when someone is in trouble, and to sing a psalm when you’re feeling upbeat and happy, and if you’re sick, he doesn’t say seeking a doctor ought to be your only or even first line of action, but the elders, the priests were to be summoned, and they would come and pray over you with a prayer of faith, anointing you with oil, and that prayer of faith would restore the sick person’s health.
We see, therefore, how vital was God’s presence in every facet of living according to James. It’s not that there was anything wrong with seeking medical assistance, for example, but what wasn’t acceptable, according to James, is that, in a relationship where God is your Father, and you’re his loving child, it made no sense to totally bypass the one Person who had the power beyond any other to bring you healing.
Again, “You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” And then James declares that this is tantamount to a betrayal of God while trusting more in the ‘friendship’ of the world;
“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” James 4:2-4.
My dear friends, how many times have we indeed asked, and because our asking was according to God’s will, we received… and we received something even more splendid then what we asked for?
I can only speak from personal experience. When I was younger, in my teens, I kind of lost my way. My mother simply prayed, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother, that I would calm down, and just remain safe. Well, through incredible circumstances, and I would say, a miraculous intervention, having been spared from what should have been a fatal accident having lost control of my vehicle, I began my journey towards the priesthood. In other words, my mother simply prayed I would be protected, and safe. She never prayed I would become a priest because she probably never could imagine me as such. Our Lord answered her prayer, but gave her something more than she expected is the point, in the sense that not only did he calm me down, and protect me, but also called me to a life in his service. This is what James is talking about. If only we did more of this kind of asking… that God’s will be done in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones and throughout the entire world, because his will is always beautiful, holy and has eternal ramifications for many.
Saint James then inspires us with a reminder that the prayers coming from a good person have a lot of power. His exact words are: “…the heartfelt prayer of a good man works very powerfully.” We need to add this aspect to whether or not our prayers are being answered—that is, the moral uprightness and state of our soul when we approach God for anything. This is why the apostles and their companions, like Barnabas would tell people to pray always, but to pray with a clean conscience. Hence the absolute grace of absolution in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, because God looks upon innocence and purity and delights in such a soul that approaches him without pride and the stain of sin. A soul that approaches in humility.
A lot of people do well when they encourage others to turn to God, but the turning to God in and of itself demands a change in the heart and mind and soul of the one approaching. An individual approaching God while continually promoting abortion or the ill-treatment of others, is approaching unworthily. So does the thief unless their heart is bent on repentance and sorrow for sin. Those are two examples of when we ought not approach God—when we are in mortal sin which is left unrepented, and therefore unforgiven. The people whom Jesus wishes to approach him, are like children. The innocence of a child. Jesus never said in the gospel that an innocent child must be “born again” in the Protestant understanding of the word, in terms of conversion, because a child beneath the age of reason cannot commit mortal sin. Hence the Lord says in today’s gospel that “to such as these belongs the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Jesus tells us, that there are beautiful qualities we generally find in children that we will need to emulate so as to enter the Kingdom of God. Sinlessness would be one, for we know that not even the least taint of sin can exist in heaven. This is quite a stark and simple contrast when we think of all the deep and complex justification debates and what truly allows us the grace of entrance into heaven. Jesus is very clear here in today’s gospel, and simple: “I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
A little child is happy. A little child is carefree. A little child is thrilled to discover something new, yet happy with what they have. The tiniest, simplest toy, will do. A little child is awestruck by the beautiful things elders do or by a sudden noise. A little child is so innocent that it hasn’t even begun to contemplate what forgiveness is and what it means, because it knows no wrongdoing. It generally views everything as a collective good. A little child feels secure in the presence of its parents and never worries about its next meal or its essential needs. A little child knows, somehow, even when it is beneath the age of reason, that it is loved.
Brothers and sisters, we can take every little observation I have just mentioned and easily preach an entire homily on it and how it applies to us, but today I would invite you to just go through each one and see how it applies to you, but more importantly, how it applies to you and in what way it would be pleasing to our Lord.
And we must always remember three things: First, as older children, we may have lost our innocence at some point, and we will need to fly to God, our Father’s, loving and tender embrace. He will forgive us ALL of our sins, even the ones we have forgotten and are unaware of. All we need to do is ask.
Secondly, God sees all things. This is why we call him omniscient—he knows all things. Therefore, God does not just see your sins, but he sees all the amazing and wonderful things you are doing to build up His Kingdom to the honour due his Name.
Finally, notwithstanding anything you have done in your past, or will do in your future, nothing, and I mean nothing will ever make him stop loving you. He loves you when you’re a saint, and he loves you when you’re a sinner. He loves you when you’re perfect, he loves you when you’re severely flawed. Nothing will ever make him love you more or less, except when you need to be loved more or less, but ultimately even that is directed to his infinite love for you. What do I mean by, “When you need to be loved more?” It simply means that sometimes, because we’re down and out, or lost, God’s focus will need to be placed more on us, than on someone who is perfectly well, for example. He will leave the ninety-nine to come looking for you. That’s what I mean when I say, “When God needs to love you more at times.” He will love you with an unconditional love, not for the next five, or ten years only, but for eternity—time without end! Why? Because you’re his child. You’re his precious daughter. You’re his precious son, and never forget that, and because he is reminding us to remember that will always be the case, he is simultaneously telling us that he will never leave us, or abandon us, or stop taking care of us, and he “sorrows” over our sins because he sees how much they afflict us and how they effect his other precious children.
Child of God, be at peace and know that the Creator of all things, this earth, the sun, the universe, and the unseen realities—the one who gave birth to the angels and the heaven they live in, is your Father—your Eternal Father. Amen.
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