Humble Hands, Pure Heart: The Discipline of Approach
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
James 4:7-10
So submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you wavering. Begin to lament, to mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.
Grace Prayed For
The grace that this scripture passage prompts the reader to pray for is the Grace of Radical Humility and Earnest Intentionality, allowing one to fully “submit” and “draw near” to God by disciplining the heart and mind to purify motives and actively resist distraction.
Reflection
This passage is a clear, step-by-step invitation to intimacy through discipline. James doesn’t just tell us to be close to God; he tells us how.
The heart of the passage is the promise: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” This isn’t a transactional deal; it’s a Trinitarian relationship built on grace and response. When you dedicate yourself to the Discipline of Prayer, you are drawing near—submitting your will and your attention to the Father. When you dedicate time to the Word, you are purifying your mind and heart, allowing God’s truth to cleanse your hands and hearts. And when you commit to Presence, seeking to encounter God in the silence and in every person, you are performing the radical act of humbling yourselves before the Lord.
The “cleansing” and “humbling” described here are essential for your prayer to share and receive in all encounters. How can you genuinely receive a person’s story, pain, or joy if your own heart is “wavering,” cluttered with pride, or distracted by the world? The mourning and humility James mentions is not about self-pity; it’s about acknowledging our absolute need for the love of Christ.
Jesus has impacted my life (and yours) by modeling this perfect humility and submission. He submitted to the Father’s will even unto death, and He drew near to the Father in constant prayer. Because Jesus loved me and humbled Himself for me, I can now approach the Father with confidence. This passage calls us to mimic that Christ-like humility. Only when we empty ourselves of pride and fully receive the love and rest Jesus offers can that love shine forth from us. This received love is what we share; this received humility is what enables us to receive others with grace and non-judgmental acceptance. Our mission to restore creation begins with our own self-restoration through drawing near to God.
Daily Evangelization and Baptismal Mission
Your Baptismal Mission of partnering with Jesus to restore creation is fundamentally expressed by how Jesus has loved you—with total commitment and humble presence. You evangelize by:
- Sharing with Humility (Prayer): In every encounter, consciously practice the “humble yourselves” mentality. When listening to someone, hold your advice or judgment and simply be present, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide your words. Your peace, born of prayerful submission, is a powerful Gospel proclamation.
- Receiving with Purity (Word): Approach difficult conversations with a “purify your hearts” intention. Because you’ve been shaped by God’s Word, you can receive criticism, tension, or conflict without reacting defensively. This non-reactive love demonstrates the restorative power of Christ.
- Being a Witness (Presence): Your active drawing near to God makes you a channel for His presence. When you commit to being fully present in your daily tasks (work, errands, home life), you are embodying Jesus’s love. Your simple, reliable goodness, patience, and commitment to integrity in small things “exalts” God and subtly draws others toward the source of your light.
When Time Allows Reflect on the Posts in Library and Musings
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post