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 or sibling has no clothing 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.
James 2:14-17
In just a few days it will be Christmas! Many of us our getting everything ready in our homes and spending time thinking about our loved ones as we try to find those perfect gifts. We are planning meals and get togethers to celebrate the joy that comes with Christmas as we wait in anticipation of the Christ child coming into our world.
Sometimes, with all of the excitement and anticipation that leads up to Christmas, we feel a sudden drop of energy after Christmas is over. However, the Spirit of Christmas doesn’t end on Christmas day. The quietness that comes in the after moments of the holiday offers us a great time and space for reflection to consider how we can continue that spirit of giving that comes with Christmas.
This scripture from James reminds us of our responsibility as Christians to put our faith into action. We don’t do good works to gain favor with God. God already gives us all the grace and love we need, evident in God’s sending of Jesus Christ to us. But, as we recognize this all-embracing, all-encompassing love and grace of God, we also realize the ways in which our good works flows out of our faith, through our deep love of and devotion to God.
I hope you will join us in this Christmastide season, the 12 days of Christmas between Christmas Day and Epiphany, to virtually journey with the Magi as we visit different global social concerns that affect our communities and our world where we are called to action as Christians.
Sometimes, we can feel overwhelmed by all that is out there to do, but this Christmas season reminds us of the hope that we have in Christ, that hope that Christ brings of a new world free from injustice, oppression, and discrimination. May you experience the Joy, Hope, Love, and Peace of this Christmas Season and share it with others as together we do the Work of Christmas.
Jackie Celin, Student Pastor of Mission