There is a powerful image in the last chapter of the StarWars movie which is actually the third movie. There is a showdown between Luke Skywalker and the Emperor. It would be easy to figure out that Luke at least physically could easily defeat the emperor. However, Star Wars presents a spiritual battle and so the emperor seeks to defeat Luke from the inside out. So he says, “I want your hate, your anger.” Because once the emperor becomes the focus of Luke’s hate. He owns Luke and can defeat him.

The emperor realizes that our emotions unbridled can makes us his puppets to his evil. There is a principle of organizing that uses this same technique. Many politicians hire those organizers who use it and to make people do what they want them to do. The technique gets a hold of people’s emotions and manipulates them into passionate promoting a cause or voting for a candidate or some other action.  They seek a reason for the average person to hate certain people and to get people to rise up against them. It is an ancient technique that you even find in the bible used by the enemies of all that is good and holy, literally. See the story of the actions of viciously evil Queen Jezebel against Naboth to steal his vineyard away. She, using a similar technique, gets the townspeople to rise up and kill an innocent man so that her husband can have a vineyard.

However, if you look at the letter of James. He too explains that technique but in reverse. He explains how when you allow your passions to control you, you become not only their puppets, but also agents of mutual destruction.

James is an interesting Epistle, with his focus on putting our faith into action, he was strongly despised by Martin Luther and the leaders of the Protestant Reformation. Luther called James a straw Epistle gave it little weight. We as Catholics see the Epistle differently.

Look carefully at this passage and we can see the central focus of our Catholic life, one that rarely gets preached. It is wisdom from above. So many look upon our faith as a system that tells us right from wrong. However, it is not, it is about relationship with Christ that leads us to a wisdom showing us how to live as God’s agents of love included in all of that is the difference between right and wrong, but more importantly is the understand of why? It is the why that is rooted in this wisdom.

This wisdom from above also demonstrates to us the fruit of it. You can also find it in Galatians: Peace, Love, Joy, Patience, Kindness, Generosity and Self-Control. Why do we do what we do because wisdom from above teaches us this is the way to the fullness of life to true freedom. Without this wisdom from above which is gained through our relationship with Christ, we become whatever our passions lead us to be centered in the vice of pride. They own us and lead us around the nose like fools. Watch the evening news and you will see it all the time. As the emperor said: Watch the emotions, you can see as people with fists raised demand their world their way. They can never find peace. As St. James teaches, it is just a mirage. You covet, you want, you seek what think will satisfy you and you seek to posess and you find it does not work, or you need more.

This is your human based wisdom teaching you a fast way of thinking that is as real as fast food. However, when you see this and are filled with wisdom, suddenly you can make your own informed choice if your reaction will lead to life or death. However, this requires to really be rooted in Christ.

Let me give you an example. You lose your job and you question whether you will make it financially. This is when the worldly wisdom starts speaking. “Give it a try. Who is going to know?” But if you listen more to the voice of wisdom from above, you question will be, what action do I take that leads me closer to Christ. Wisdom will teach you to trust in Christ. Wisdom will teach you that every difficult situtation is a chance to grow in your trust of Christ. Worldly wisdom will teach you that you must use any means necessary to get what you want.

Every day is the moment to take what challenges us and use it to choose for or against Christ. Do we choose worldly wisdom and do what everybody else is doing, or do we stop and say. “Lord Jesus, help me through this moment and let this moment lead me closer to you.”

As I was reflecting on this reading, I came to realize that many times we see St. Paul calling us to praise God, but he himself often said that going through terrible trials. However, he learned through those trials to praise God which led him to greater happiness and holiness. St. James himself begins his letter telling us to consider it pure joy when we are faced with many trials. This leads us to a maturity of our faith.

If you want to be holy, seek wisdom from above. If you want to be an agent of your own misery and those of others then reject God’s wisdom and seek the wisdom of the world. Whichever choice you make, you will be a great success at what the choice ultimately promises.

God bless you,

Fr. Robert J Carr

Fr. Carr is the pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Quincy, Massachusetts (Check out and Like our facebook page) and is the editor of this blog. He is also an alliance member of the Canção Nova Community (You may also find his videos inVideos.Catholicismanew.org courtesy of iCatholic.com. He also has a regular radio program on WebRadio Canção Nova. Heard Mondays at 7pm (1900 hours) EDT/2300 UTC
You can follow him on twitter as @frbobcarr. Thoughts, comments on the homily? Let us know at either the parish facebook page or the Catholicismanew Facebook page.