St. James describes our earthly concerns and tells Catholics to think more about our souls.
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Question 41: “Does St. James tell us how to guide our efforts on earth?”
Answer: “In Verse 13 of Chapter 4, St. James describes all our worldly thoughts and desires in one sentence!
‘Here is the answer for those of you who talk like this: ‘Today or tomorrow, we are off to this or that town; we are going to spend a year there, trading, and make some money’.”
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Question 42: “That one sentence does describe every self-centered plan we make for our future. What is wrong with such goals and desires?”
Answer: “St. James tells us to Think Clearly about what we are! ‘You never know what will happen tomorrow: you are no more than a mist that is here for a little while and then disappears.’”
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Question 43: “Are we to give up our earthly desires for fame and fortune?”
Answer: “Verse 15 helps us put ourselves in perspective! ‘The most you should ever say is: ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we shall still be alive to do this or that’.”
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Question 44: “Why is that ‘the most we should ever say’?
Answer: “Recognizing The Living Power of The Living God puts our goals in perspective! When we guide our thoughts, words, and deeds by Teachings of Jesus and His Church, we are more pleasing to Him.”
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Question 45: “What if we do not want to guide our thoughts, words, and deeds with This Word of Jesus? ‘And I say unto you thou art Peter and on this rock I build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I give you the keys to The Kingdom of Heaven.’?”
Answer: “Read Verse 14 again! St. James tells each of us to Think Clearly about what we are.
‘You never know what will happen tomorrow: you are no more than a mist that is here for a little while and then disappears.’”
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Question 46: “The ‘mist’ that is our mind and body will disappear. Our soul will live forever. How can we make our soul be pleasing to He Who will Judge it?”
Answer: “Read James 4:15 again! It is God’s Guide to each of us as we go through life! The most you should ever say is: ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we shall still be alive to do this or that’.”
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Question 47: “What if we live without recognizing that God’s Judgment could come upon us at any time?”
Answer: “The vanity of Willful Protestantism is clearly described in 4:16! ‘But how proud and sure of yourselves you are now! Pride of this kind is always wicked.’”
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Question 48: “What are the results of letting ‘wicked pride’ rule our lives?”
Answer: “James 4:17 is clear! ‘Everyone who knows what is the right thing to do and doesn’t do it commits a sin.’”
‘the right thing to do’ is to ‘Be Catholic!’ so that our soul does not go to His Judgment corroded by ‘wicked pride’.”
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Simple Reasons to be Catholic. https://catholicfundamentalism.com/
We can find interesting ideas in the Daily Posts, essays, and free books: https://catholicfundamentalism.com/our-books/
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The best book of the last Century is “The Diary of St. Faustina”. It helps us understand how much Jesus loves our soul. https://www.saint-faustina.org/diary-full-text/
