Ignoramus! Certainly this is a eye catching, ear popping word of choice. To be an ignoramus is to be one who is generally ignorant of everything, one whose life is empty of knowledge.
In this case if you do not see how works and faith are to be integrated and interconnected as quite obvious then ignorant you are in deed. This is what James is trying to say.
James simply asks the people not to miss the boat. Faith is seen in how you live, in the choices you make, in how you reach out toward others. Your life should be different if you have faith in Christ.
This reminds me of when I was ordained a priest. I had to make five promises. The last of which sums up all of them, and becomes a promise not just for those ordained but for all who are baptized. The promise is as follows:
Are you resolved to shape your way of life according to the example of Christ...?
Christ's whole life reveals to us a faith filled life in action, whose shape was that of the Cross.
"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me," Jesus proclaims in today's gospel.
What shape is your life? Is it cruciformed or otherwise?
Remember we don't make the sign of the cross for nothing or do we?
Is is empty of knowledge, leaving us to be ignoramuses or not? I hope not!
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