"The one who does justice will live
in the presence of the Lord"
(Psalm 15)
 
We joyfully celebrated Labor Day. This holiday is traditionally associated in our country with the beginning of a new school year. So, it comes to my mind the multiple memories of various activities to make feel at home the freshmen who started their high school. Some rules and lessons were established for a good kicking of what would be a good student-teacher-priest relationship. The readings of today give us lessons to put into practice in our daily lives. Psalm 15 wins the palm of victory because it gives us a lesson in hope because "if we practice justice, we will live in the presence
of the Lord."
 
The first two readings prepare us for the teaching of Jesus in the Gospel by explaining how our behavior shows others what kind of people we are. Indeed, for Moses if we keep the commandments the other nations will know of the wisdom derived from them. The Apostle James exhorts his readers to put their beliefs into action. For his part, Jesus tries to teach his adversaries, scribes and Pharisees, the importance of what we have in our hearts. As a good teacher Jesus calls them hypocrites for concentrating on unclean hands instead of unclean hearts.
 
We learn more about another person by watching what they do than by listening to what they say. So, James is clear in saying that it is NOT enough to listen to God's word but to put it into practice: "Be doers of the word and not hearers only." Specifically, James encourages the early Christians to care for the most vulnerable among them. This is what he refers to as living out their faith, " Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself
unstained by the world."
 
P. Hernán, SJ
 
"Sacred Scripture presents us with God as infinite mercy, but also as perfect justice. How are these two things reconciled? How can the reality of mercy be articulated with the need for justice? While these two characteristics can seem like opposites, “in reality it's not like this, because it's precisely the mercy of God that brings the fulfillment of true justice.” ( Pope Francis)