The only real sadness, the only real failure, the only great tragedy in life, is not to become a saint. The quote is from Leon Bloy, a Catholic writer from France who died in the early 20th century. It’s a great quote; simple yet profound.
For the past few Sundays, we have been hearing from the Letter of James in the second reading at Mass. A lot of times the second reading doesn’t get too much attention from preachers because it stands alone while the first reading, the Psalm, and the Gospel generally share a unifying theme. We do not know who “James” was. Scholars are not sure if he was one of the Apostles who shared that name or another James named by St. Paul in the New Testament who is also referred to as the “brother of the Lord.” The Letter of James really is not a letter either, at least not in the style of the other letters in the New Testament. James is written more in the style of the Wisdom literature of the Old Testament and has three main sections: the value of trials and temptations, warnings and exhortations, and on the power of prayer. This Sunday’s reading from James comes from the section on warnings and exhortations.
James warns us of the danger of seeking the wrong things out of life. He uses the term “passions” for the search for wrong pleasures. Pleasure is not a bad thing; in fact, pleasure can be derived from doing what is right, good, and holy. Pleasure can be found in prayer and in acting/living in a way that is ordered to the glory of God and the good of neighbor. The pleasures that James warns about, the passions, are those things that are only ends in themselves, those that are purely self-serving. These are destructive because they can lead people to unhealthy and unholy behaviors, driving people deeper into the need to serve themselves, their own wants, and agendas, which in turn lead to disorder in our lives and in the greater world.
The question that James is asking us in this Sunday’s second reading is this: in my life, am I seeking the good things of God and his kingdom or am I seeking myself and the things of this world…power, honor, pleasure, wealth? Most of the time we probably do not think of this in our daily living but as disciples we must reflect on where our choices are leading us: deeper into ourselves or into deeper relationship with the Lord? James would tell us that there is nothing wrong in seeking pleasures, accomplishments, and enjoyment in life, as long as those things are ordered towards God. We must never evaluate our lives by the world’s standards; we must evaluate our lives with heaven as the ultimate goal. By baptism we have been made heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven; all that we seek should be ordered to that calling. In the end, whether or not we become saints, whether or not our eternal citizenship is in heaven, is the only success or failure that will matter.
Pilgrimage 2025
I have been asked if there will be another pilgrimage next summer. The answer is yes but I do not have all the details yet. The pilgrimage will have a Marian focus with visits to Fatima, Lourdes, and Montserrat as well as other locations. The dates for the pilgrimage are tentatively set for May 26 to June 6. A flyer will be available in the office once I get more information from the tour company.
Blessings to you and yours for the week ahead!
Father Chris House