We have been hearing from the letter of James all this week. It is interesting to note that while most of the letters of St Paul were written to specific communities in the early Church, James was a universal letter written to all believers in the faith. The letter of James addresses issues of living out of faith, especially of living the values of the Gospel through our works and actions and persevering during any trials, struggles, and temptations we may have on our journey. It is interesting to see how people in our world are treated so differently by others based on who they are and their status in society. I remember working in Winnipeg as a missionary at the food bank and soup kitchen, usually wearing big grubby winter jackets and work clothing. Sometimes I would be mistaken for a street person myself. I remember once a man who was a partner in a CPA firm came to drop off a donation to the food bank. When he asked me what type of work I was in, and I told him I had been a CPA myself in the United States, I could tell that he did not believe me, thinking I was just making up some tale.
It is easy for us to judge people, isn’t it? Rather than trying to just someone, we should instead be gracious and welcoming to everyone in our community of faith, no matter who they are. Hopefully we treat everyone with the dignity and respect that God expects of us. The Lord does have a special heart for the poor, for those going through different circumstances in their lives, for those who struggle to make it in our Lord. We are called to hear the cry of the poor as well.
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