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From: James 3:13-18

True and False Wisdom

[13] Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good life let him show works in the meekness of wisdom. [14] But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. [15] This wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. [16] For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. [17] But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity. [18] And the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

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Commentary:

13-18. These verses point out the qualities of Christian wisdom (cf. 1:5). After exhorting his readers to manifest their wisdom by their actions (verse 13), he attacks the signs of false wisdom (verses 14-16) and explains the qualities of the true (verses 17-18).

St. Paul also makes a distinction between worldly wisdom—the wisdom of man when he veers away from his correct goal—and the wisdom of God, which reaches its highest _expression on the Cross (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:18-3:3). St. James pays particular attention to the practical effects of godly wisdom—meekness, mercy and peace.

False wisdom, on the contrary, leads to bitter zeal, rivalry and resentment: it is “earthly” because it rejects things transcendental and supernatural; “unspiritual” (merely natural, “psychi” in the original Greek), as befits people who follow their nature as wounded by Original Sin, deprived of the help of the Spirit (cf. notes on 1 Corinthians 2:14-16; Jude 19-20); “devilish”, in the sense that such people are inspired by the devil, who is envious (cf. Wisdom 2:24), “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

18. What this verse means is that the “peacemakers” of the Beatitudes (cf. Matthew 5:6 and note) create around themselves an environment making for righteousness (holiness), and they themselves benefit from the peace they sow. “There can be no peace,” [Pope] John XXIII says, “between men unless there is peace within each of them: unless, that is, each one builds up within himself the order wished by God” (”Pacem In Terris”, 165).

The “harvest of righteousness” is the equivalent of righteousness itself: it is keeping the law of the Gospel, doing good works, which show true wisdom. The passage is reminiscent of Isaiah 32:17-18: “and the effects of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust for ever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings and in quiet resting places.”

Every Christian who strives to live in accordance with his vocation is a sower of holiness and justice-with-peace: “Through your work, through the whole network of human relations,” (St) Monsignor Escriva says, “you ought to show the charity of Christ and its concrete expression in friendship, understanding, human affection and peace. Just as Christ `went about doing good’ (Acts 10:38) throughout Palestine, so much you also spread peace in your family circle, in civil society, at work, and in your cultural and leisure activities” (”Christ Is Passing By”, 166).

From: Mark 9:14-29

The Curing of an Epileptic Boy

[14] And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd about them, and scribes arguing with them. [15] And immediately all the crowd when they saw Him (Jesus), were greatly amazed, and ran up to Him and greeting Him. [16] And He asked them, “What are you discussing with them?” [17] And one of the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; [18] and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked Your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” [19] And He answered them, “Oh faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to Me.” [20] And they brought the boy to Him; and when the spirit saw Him, immediately it convulsed the body, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. [21] And Jesus asked his father, “How long has he had this?” And he said, “From childhood. [22] And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if You can do anything, have pity on us and help us.” [23] And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible to him who believes.” [24] Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” [25] And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again.” [26] After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, “He is dead.” [27] But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. [28] And when He had entered the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” [29] And He said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.”

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Commentary:

17. The demon who possessed this boy is described as a “dumb spirit” because dumbness was the main feature of the possession. On diabolic possession cf. note on Matthew 12:22-24.

19-24. As on other occasions, Jesus requires submission of faith before He works the miracle. The exclamation of Jesus refers to the request of the boy’s father (verse 22), which seemed to suggest some doubt about God’s omnipotence. The Lord corrects this way of asking and requires him to have firm faith. In verse 24 we can see that the father has quite changed; then Jesus does the miracle. The man’s strengthened faith made him all-powerful, for someone with faith relies not on himself but on Jesus Christ. Through faith, then, we become sharers in God’s omnipotence. But faith is a gift of God, which man, especially at times when he is wavering, should ask humbly and tenaciously, like the father of this boy: “I believe, help my unbelief,” and like the Apostles: “Increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5).

28-29. “In teaching the Apostles how to expel a spirit as evil as this He is teaching all of us how we should live, and telling us that prayer is the resource we should use to overcome even the severest temptations, whether they come from unclean spirits or from men. Prayer does not consist only in the words we use to invoke God’s clemency but also in everything we do, out of faith, as homage to God. The Apostle bears witness to this when he says: `Pray constantly’ (1 Thessalonians 5:7)” (St. Bede, “In Marci Evangelium Expositio, in loc.”).