From Fr Stephen Delbridge
As we continue to read through the Letter of James and juxtapose our readings from Mark’s Gospel we are called to be mindful of who we are and how we live. James is vigorous in his declaration that faith requires works and Jesus is vigorous in his holding of the tensions of the life of faith. Take up your cross and follow me, Jesus declares! No Holy holiness or pietist sect here, more like real life lived with faith and with purpose. Our inward life of faith (who we are) and our outward expression of that faith (how we live) become a seamless unity.
The Gradual hymn is the bridge between the Letter of James and the Gospel of Mark. In the second verse are the words: ‘Help us, O Lord, to live the faith which we proclaim, that all our thoughts and words and deeds may glorify your name.’ Yes, we have a faith to live by, a faith that sustains us in good times and in tough times, and we live this faith in our minds and hearts, in our speech and in our deeds!
The prayer of our hearts might be grasped by the third verse of the first hymn: ‘Come, Holy Spirit, create in us holiness, lift up our lives to your standard of right; stir every [our/my] will to new ventures of faithfulness [and] flood the whole church with your glorious light.
Grace and peace to you all,
Stephen