One of my favorite sayings is from St. Francis of Assisi, who told his followers "Preach the Gospel, and if you must, use words." I love this quote because it seems to me to echo so much of Jesus' teaching and message - that our lives can and should say far more about our faith than our words.

In today's second reading, the Letter of James has strong words for those who would separate faith from action, or good works. "What good is it, my brothers and sisters," we're asked, "if someone says he has faith but does not have works?"

We show where our faith truly lies by how we live. If our lives are dedicated to earning, saving and spending money, it would appear that our faith is in money. If we are chiefly dedicated to beauty and appearance, then maybe our faith is in our good looks. If we spend most of our energy trying to earn the admiration of our peers, then perhaps our greatest faith is in success. And if we are most dedicated to loving God and loving our neighbor, then hopefully our lives will show it.

"If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and no food for the day," the reading continues, "and one of you says to him, 'Go in peace, keep warm and eat well, but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?"

What good is it, indeed?

St. Francis, it seems, shares this suspicion of faith without action, and casts a wary eye on mere words. This presents a rich challenge; at least it does to me. I've always felt that it's much easier to talk a good game as a Christian than it is to consistently practice my faith. I mean, it's a lot easier to tell a hungry person that you wish him or her well than it is to feed them. And it is a lot easier to point out the flaws in others than it is to correct my own failures. The competitors for my faith - money, beauty and success --- often win, when the battleground is my behavior.

I would love to say that people know that I am Christian without being told. I'm afraid that's not the case. In fact, I can remember at least one instance when a friend was shocked to learn that I regularly go to church. I don't know if it was because I seemed so un-Christian to him, or if he simply couldn't imagine why anyone would want to go to church.

The good news is that being faithful doesn't mean being perfect. In fact, part of the faith we live is rooted in compassion - compassion for ourselves as well as others. Our "works," our lives, may not always be the example of God's love that we want them to be, but we can keep trying to live what we believe and hopefully, over time, fewer and fewer words will be required.

Bill Peatman writes from Napa. He may be reached at bptidings@yahoo.com.