Holy Angels Anglican Church
Homily for the Fourth Sunday after Easter
(May 18, 2025)
St. James 1:17-21
First Fruits
Given by: The Rev. Fr. Vincent J. Varnas
For most of Hebrew and later Jewish history, the prophets and others have asserted that all things come directly from God , both good and evil because He is the creator of all things. This doctrine is clearly annunciated in the Book of Job (2:10). Another example of this mistaken notion about God having created evil is to be found in the Book of Exodus, as the Prophet tells us that Pharoh’s heart was hardened by God against the demand by Moses to, “Let my people go” (5:1,7:3). Sounds almost as if God was playing some sort of game, pitting Moses against Pharoh on some heavenly chess board, playing one side against the other and throwing-in assistance as well as stumbling stones to both! No, God did not harden Pharoh’s heart!
From today’s Epistle reading from the Letter of St. James, we finally hear a clear and unambiguous statement about the source of goodness in the world and it is God: “For every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, ...” (Jas. 1:17). Evil emanates from the world, the flesh and the devil. But the author of evil is Satan (1 Jn. 5:19, Rev.12:9, Gen. 3). And as I said in last week’s homily, God allows evil to exist, but did not create evil.
From today’s Epistle reading, we learn that we were begotten or created with the “word of truth”. And just what is this “word of truth”? It is Jesus. Being created with the “word of truth” acknowledges that our creation was not by the Father alone, but also by the Son. (Jn. 1:1,14). St. James goes on to say that we should be, “a kind of first fruits of his creatures”. And that means carrying His truth to others; the Good News of His Gospel.
When he speaks of a “first fruit”, St. James is analogizing to nature’s first fruits of a crop. A “first fruit” is a bountiful harvest and it encourages further growth and harvest. Biblically, it was also an offering to God. It is the beginning of something significant. By our baptism in Christ, we are those first fruits. And by our faith, we become a first fruit of the promise of eternal life, as we carry the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others.
St. Paul tells us: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept [i.e., those who have died] (1 Cor. 15:20). His passion and death on the cross and resurrection are a promise of bounty: eternal life. And St. James tells us that we too become first fruits in cooperation with Jesus by spreading the word of the promise of eternal life. Thusly, we share in Jesus’ mission of salvation by spreading the Gospel to others. We become part of salvation history through baptism and confirmation, as we go forth spreading God’s word. And, in so-doing we anticipate the harvest. And the harvest comes after the seed planted so long ago at the time of creation has germinated with the Incarnation and will end with the end of time when the crop has matured and born the fruit of holiness and we are lifted-up to eternal life in God’s heavenly kingdom.
Of these times between creation and the end times, St. James says: “... lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls” (Jas. 1:21). God’s word written or engrafted in the words of the Gospel helps us grow in holiness and we bear the fruit of bringing others to God.
And how is that accomplished?
By obedience to God’s commandments and by becoming a beacon of hope, a lighthouse of truth; the image of Christ, we are helping others find their pathways to salvation.
And what else is this “engrafted word” that St. James speaks of?
As I said earlier, it is the Gospel. But it more than just the Word of God. It is also the Natural Law of God. And the Natural Law is engrafted; that is, written upon our hearts (Ps. 40:10).
From St. Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews, we are told: “... this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel ..., saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people” (8:10).
Simply stated, God’s Eternal Law is written upon the hearts of mankind at the time of birth in the form of the Natural Law and the Natural Law becomes our conscience.
Therefore, we all know what is fundamentally good and what is fundamentally evil. No one can claim ignorance of God’s Law as an excuse for sin, with one caveat. It must be understood that God’s Eternal Law, written upon our hearts, pertains to grave, mortal sins that are found in the Ten Commandments and the mandatum of Jesus given at the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, to “love one another, ...” (Jn. 13:34). Lesser or venial sins may strain our relationship with God, but don’t break it.
Filthiness is laid aside and superfluity of naughtiness (i.e., being badly behaved to an extreme) is put under foot. Rather, the beauty and loveliness of virtue is embraced in our hearts, and minds and most of all in our actions, with a meekness that rises to the level of deep humility.
When we lead our lives in the Image of Christ, we become positive examples for others. Naughtiness is contagious. Evil is a virus. Hate has become commonplace. But our task is to change all that. How so?
St. Francis said it well when he proclaimed: “Preach the Gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.”
Actions do speak louder than words in the face of evil, because people do have a conscience and do understand in their hearts when they are being sinful. The Natural Law cannot be escaped by popular conventions. Is this becoming a “square peg in a round hole”? Is this being anti-social? Is this being a stuffy, unpleasant person? Unfortunately, by some of today’s standards the answer is yes!
In many instances it is and will be, because evil seems to have pervaded our society. But, with the help of God, that can and must be changed. It is a long and wearisome journey to reach that end of the road when and where we can say that we have accomplished God’s will amid a disordinate nation. But the longest journey always begins with the first step. Together, we can make a difference! So, live long and be fruitful.