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| St. Philip the Apostle by Albrecht Dürer |
Picture source
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| St. James the Apostle by Albrecht Dürer |
Picture source
Saintly wisdom and spiritual guidance from the Letters of St. James:
Trials, Temptations and Perseverance:
...Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance...
...Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him...
...No one experiencing temptation should say, "I am being tempted by God"; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one...
Blessings Received:
...all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change...
Importance of Obeying the Word:
...Know this, my dear brothers: everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, for the wrath of a man does not accomplish the righteousness of God. Therefore, put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror. He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he looked like...
Bridling our Tongue:
...If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, his religion is vain.
True Religion:
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
Importance of Impartiality towards Everyone:
My brothers, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ...
...But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors...
Not Judging Others:
...For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment....
Importance of Works as well as Faith:
...What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead...
The Evil of the Untamed Tongue:
...In the same way the tongue is a small member and yet has great pretensions. Consider how small a fire can set a huge forest ablaze. The tongue is also a fire. It exists among our members as a world of malice, defiling the whole body and setting the entire course of our lives on fire, itself set on fire by Gehenna. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing...
Humility and Wisdom:
...Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show his works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. Wisdom of this kind does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity...
Submission to God's Will and Resisting the devil:
...So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you...
...Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.
Speaking Evil and Judging Our Brothers:
Do not speak evil of one another, brothers. Whoever speaks evil of a brother or judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the law. If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save or to destroy. Who then are you to judge your neighbor?...
Doing God's Will:
...Instead you should say, "If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that..."
Sin:
...So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin...
Complaining and Judgment Against Our Brothers:
...Do not complain, brothers, about one another, that you may not be judged. Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates...
Not Swearing:
...But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath, but let your "Yes" mean "Yes" and your "No" mean "No," that you may not incur condemnation.
Praying:
Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praise....
...and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful...
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