The Letter of St James To the Twelve

The Letter of St. James To the Twelve Tribes in the Dispersion

Lover of the World 1 John 2: 15 -16 Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world.

Lover of the World Matthew 6: 24 “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. ” Romans 8: 7 For the concern of the flesh is hostility toward God; it does not submit to the law of God, nor can it;

Lover of God Job 22: 29 For he brings down the pride of the haughty, but the man of humble mien he saves. Proverbs 3: 34 The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but the dwelling of the just he blesses; Matthew 23: 12 “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted. ”

Calumny CCC 2477 Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. He becomes guilty: - of rash judgment who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor;

Clumny - of detraction who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another's faults and failings to persons who did not know them; - of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them.

Judgement • 2478 To avoid rash judgment, everyone should be careful to interpret insofar as possible his neighbor's thoughts, words, and deeds in a favorable way:

Judgement Every good Christian ought to be more ready to give a favorable interpretation to another's statement than to condemn it. But if he cannot do so, let him ask how the other understands it. And if the latter understands it badly, let the former correct him with love. If that does not suffice, let the Christian try all suitable ways to bring the other to a correct interpretation so that he may be saved. 280

Judgement 2479 Detraction and calumny destroy the reputation and honor of one's neighbor. Honor is the social witness given to human dignity, and everyone enjoys a natural right to the honor of his name and reputation and to respect. Thus, detraction and calumny offend against the virtues of justice and charity.

Warning to the Rich Matthew 6: 19 -21 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ”

Warning to the Rich CCC 1867 The catechetical tradition also recalls that there are "sins that cry to heaven": the blood of Abel, the sin of the Sodomites, the cry of the people oppressed in Egypt, the cry of the foreigner, the widow, and the orphan, injustice to the wage earner.

Warning to the Rich CCC 2434 A just wage is the legitimate fruit of work. To refuse or withhold it can be a grave injustice. In determining fair pay both the needs and the contributions of each person must be taken into account. "Remuneration for work should guarantee man the opportunity to provide a dignified livelihood for himself and his family on the material, social, cultural and spiritual level, taking into account the role and the productivity of each, the state of the

CCC 2434 (continued) …. "Remuneration for work should guarantee man the opportunity to provide a dignified livelihood for himself and his family on the material, social, cultural and spiritual level, taking into account the role and the productivity of each, the state of the business, and the common good. " Agreement between the parties is not sufficient to justify morally the amount to be received in wages. ”

Swearing Oaths Matthew 5: 33 -37 “Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord. ’ But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool…. Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one. ”

Bringing Sinners Home James 5: 19 -20 My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Questions • What does “unfaithful creature” mean? How does James use it? • According to James 4: 4 -5, of what is God intolerant? • How seriously do you take the existence of Satan and his influence? • What can we do to bring back those who have drifted from the faith?