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Thursday 22 May 2008

Social justice in James

Today, James turns his attention to the rich and gives them warnings.
Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten.
Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days
(James 5:2-3).
Christians slight riches. Their financial management philosophy is very simple. Accumulation of riches is evil and will invoke God's judgment on the last days. Contrary to the philosophy of Capitalism, Christians are not supposed to snowball their money into more money. Rather, it should be spent to help the needy. They should hold on to a spirit of poverty.
Where do the riches come from? In Biblical time, riches came from produce of the land which was enough to feed all. If the distribution was fair, no evil arose. Where there was greed, there would be injustice. Only at the expense of the poor did the rich become rich.
Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts (James 5:4).
The rich withheld the wages of the labourers to become rich and God saw it all. This is blatant injustice and God saw it evil.
Well, I am no landowner. Would I be exempted from these evils of social injustice? Nowadays in Hong Kong, when the economy turned downwards, workers were willing to endure a freeze on their salaries, and even a reduction in order to keep their rice-bowls. Now that the economy has improved, workers complain that they are deprived of the opportunity to share the fruits of economic prosperity. The grumble can clearly be heard on various days when workers take to the street. Social justice is denied them. Though government officials and entrepreneurs refuse to listen to their complaints, God will hear them.
OK, I am no businessman. I am just an administrator in a secondary school. Would I be exempted from these evils of social injustice? Nowadays in the midst of educational reforms, quite a number of teachers opt out. The situation is particularly acute where the school administration is incompetent. Every year, vacancies arise when teachers retire, some immaturely. Posts are opened for promotion and re-grade. New incumbents have to go through a year of probation before confirmation.  Fair enough. But now is the golden opportunity of administrative abuse. The school administrator who writes your appraisal could withhold your confirmation and put you on probation for another year and for yet another year forever and ever. Though managers of the SMC may be blind to such abuses, God will see them.
What is James' advice to the victims? Do not resist (James 5:6b)! Rather,
Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it until it receives the early and the late rain.
You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand
(James 5:7-8).
He trusts that God will take care of the situation because He is believed to be just.
Well, Bren, it is up to you to listen to James. You are always lovely and vocal. I don't have to remind you to be more patient. You know what you are doing and most important of all, you know that you are on the right.

My Advocate, grant us the grace to discern the unfolding of Your plan. We are grateful for being allowed to take part in this struggle. May Your light shine upon us, lead us on along the path You have designed for us. Our Lady, you have quietly followed your son's ministry up to the cross. Be our perpetual help and refashion our souls after the likeness of your son. Amen.

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