Sincere example

Example is given not just with good words, but rather with deeds. Those who think they can do otherwise need to hear and meditate on this passage of Scripture: Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practise. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders; but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger (Matt 23:1-4).

Unity of life

What are required are both words and deeds, faith and conduct, in a unity of life, as we said on another occasion. To act differently, to do things out of vanity in order to be seen and in order to show off, has deserved these words from the lips of Christ: omnia vero opera sua faciunt ut videantur ab hominibus (Matt 23:5); everything they do is in order to be seen by others.

Faith and works

What good is it, asks James in his Catholic Letter, What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? And he adds: For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead (Jas 2:14,26).

“It is better for a man to be silent and be [a Christian], than to talk and not to be one. It is good to teach, if the one who speaks also acts. For there is one Teacher, who spoke and it was done; and even the things which he did in silence are worthy of the Father. The one who possesses the word of Jesus is truly able to hear even his silence, so that he may be perfect, and may act as he speaks, and be recognised by his silence.”¹⁶