Do to others as you would have them do to you. –Luke 6:31 (NRSVCE)
Warning Against Partiality
My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in Our Glorious Lord
Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly and
if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, if you take notice of the one wearing the fine
clothes and say, ‘Have a seat here, please,’ while to the one who is poor you say, ‘Stand there,’
or Sit at my feet,’ have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with
evil thoughts? Listen my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the
world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the Kingdom that He has promised to those who love
Him? You have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag
you into court? Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?
You do well if you really fulfill the royal Law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.’ (Leviticus 19:18B ; Matthew 19:19B ; Mark 12:30-31) If you show
partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the Law as transgressors. For whoever keeps
the whole Law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. For the one who said.
“You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” Now if you do not commit
adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as
those who are to be judged by the Law of Liberty. For judgment will be without mercy to
anyone who has shown no mercy; Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Faith Without Works Is Dead
What good is it, my brothers and sisters if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can
faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food and one of you says to them,
‘Go in peace, keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is
the good of that? So faith by itself if it has no works is dead.
Someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works
and I by my works will show you my faith. You believe that God is One, you do well. Even the
Demons believe and shudder. Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart
from works is barren? Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his
son Issac on the alter? You see that faith was active along with his works and faith was brought
to completion by the works. Thus the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God
and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’ (Genesis 15:6) and he was called the friend of
God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Likewise was not Rahab
the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by
another road? (Joshua 2:1-24) For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without
works is also dead. –James 2:1-26
This poor soul cried and was heard by the Lord
and was saved from every trouble. (Psalm 34:6)I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall be continually in my mouth.
My soul makes it boast in the Lord; Let the humble hear and be glad.This poor soul cried and was heard by the Lord
and was saved from every trouble. (Psalm 34:6)O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together.
I sought the Lord and He answered me and delivered me from all fears.This poor soul cried and was heard by the Lord
and was saved from every trouble. (Psalm 34:6)Look to Him and be radiant so your faces shall never be ashamed.
The poor soul cried and was heard by the Lord
and was saved from every trouble.The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them.
This poor soul cried and was heard by the Lord
and was saved from every trouble. (Psalm 34:6)
Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB
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