James 2:1-9 / Mark 8:27-33
The 1st reading is taken from the letter of St. James. If we had been following the readings from that letter since the beginning of the week, then we will also know that it is a letter that is downright straight-forward and it also uses every day examples to get the message across.
And in today's passage from the letter of St. James, if someone else were to say those same words, who do we think would that person be?
If we can remember some of the key phrases from the first reading: "do not combine faith with the making of distinctions between classes of people", "in spite of this, you have no respect for anybody who is poor", "as soon as you make distinctions between classes of people, you are committing sin and breaking the Law".
As we think about these statements, probably the face that might emerge in our minds is that of Pope Francis.
Ever since he became Pope, his vision is a Church for the poor and a Church of the poor.
And he has cleaned up quite a few Church institutions and practices in that direction.
Certainly that is not anything new. Just that what was said by St. James in the 1st reading has been taken out of the closet and put into practice again. And it's making heads turn, and with approval and affirmation.
But in the gospel, when Jesus told His disciples that He was destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected and put to death, His disciples expressed dismay and disapproval and Peter even remonstrated with Him.
The ways of God is often in contradiction to the way we want to think and to the ways of the world. But when the ways of God are followed, He will certainly show us signs of His approval.