In today's first reading, James 5: 1-6, St. James challenges the wealthy who are involved in lifestyles that are dominated by corruption. He says: "Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire. You have stored up treasure for the last days. Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter. You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous one...."
The words of St. James applies to the world of today as well to the world in which he lived. Every day, as we listen to the news, we hear of God's precepts being discarded by those who bring harm to others or, in fact, commit murder, withhold wages or cheat their employees in any way, who turn against their loved ones by being unfaithful and/or by being irresponsible in some way, by persons involved in human trafficking, slave labor, and/or drug trafficking and other sin infected behaviors! Blinded by Satan's lies, a person is likely to make choices that lead, eventually, to misery for themselves and their families. Some of these persons involve their children in sinful situations, as well. Jesus, in today's Gospel, Mark 9: 38-43, 45, 47-48, says to them: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea." In that same passage, Jesus speaks to his passion that persons make right choices, saying to us: "If your hand [or your foot] causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands [or two feet] to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire."
How greatly Jesus must suffer when he sees any one of his children being deceived by Satan, who convinces them that doing what is wrong will bring them pleasure!
Lord, open our eyes to recognize Satan as the Father of Lies. Let us not get caught in his trap of lies and let us recognize when he is using another human being as his agent.
