Advice from St James

[Peter Rennie]

I have an app on my phone that delivers a verse from the bible each day and this morning's was from St James so I thought I'd share...

“You know this, my most beloved brothers. So let every man be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to anger.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1:19‬ ‭CPDV‬‬
http://bible.com/42/jas.1.19.cpdv

It seemed like pretty good advice for when on the Camino but also in discussion in this place.

 

[Al the optimist]

Too true. We have our moments when the speed of the keyboard precedes the engagement of consideration.

 

[scruffy1]

Lovely verse and it does not refer to Saint James who would have great difficulties in the practice of what here is written. Our Saint James was known for his fiery temper, also called Boanerges or Son of Thunder, and was quite impetuous – rebuked when he offered to bring down fire and brimstone on a Samaritan village and desiring to be among the first to sit next to Jesus in glory.Then again, ideals are just that, something to hold before us when the going gets rough.

 

[Peter Rennie]

James was certainly impetuous but he was there in the select few on Mt Tabor and Gethsemene. There are some elements of his hagiography that stretch credibility such as Matamoros.

The authorship of the Letter of St James has been questioned many times; having said that, the virtuous things that we exhort others to do we often recognise by our own failings. Mea culpa on that score.