What is Faith without Good Works?

Today’s gospel tells of the confession of Peter. Did Peter understand what he confessed? Probably not-he was horrified when he heard that Jesus had to suffer. Likewise, many of us have the same misunderstanding-we think that confessing the faith is belonging to the church, having a happy life, never suffering. The scriptures today preach differently. St James said that we cannot say that we have faith if we don’t live that faith through good works. Jesus tells us, just like how he had to suffer, if we were to follow him, we also have to carry our cross. The 3rd suffering servant song from the prophet Isaiah- we are asked not to resist when people insult us but to trust in God to vindicate us when people accuse us wrongly. Pope Francis in his visit to Singapore used the analogy of Singapore’s architectural development-it is like the skyline rising up from the sea; It is the testimony of the nation’s dynamism, economic development and resilience. But he reminds us that this development must be founded on love and be for the common good of all, not just a few, and not to leave the marginalised behind. The greatest asset of our country is not our wealth but our people. So, we must be inclusive and uphold the dignity of each person, not because of what they contribute to the economy but because they are children of God. Taking inspiration from our Holy Father’s words and putting St James’ words into action- a simple way of taking up our cross and following Jesus would be to respect the dignity of each one especially those who are vulnerable and different from ourselves, caring for our brothers and sisters who do not have the bare necessities of life. That would be the good work that will prove our faith and what it means to confess that Jesus is the Christ. -Sunday Homily by Fr Gerard Louis, C.Ss.R. (15 September 2024)