James 4:15 "Conditio Jacobaea": A Commandment?

[La-Petite-Fleur]

From The Book of James, chapter 4:

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we shall go into such and such a town, spend a year there doing business, and make a profit” -

14 you have no idea what your life will be like tomorrow. You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears.

15 Instead *you should say, “If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that.” *

Further information on the Vatican website about James 4:15 mentions that it is “the condition James says we should employ to qualify all our plans”. (Link)

I didn’t remember this scripture, but became interested when my mother mentioned it during our conversation last night. She asked something to the effect of: "Did you know that we’re not to say what we’re going to do tomorrow, unless we say if “God will’s it”? I was fascinated. I told her I knew that Muslims say “Insha’Allah” (God Willing / If It is God’s Will). I then said something such as, “If we are commanded, then I would want to find the Latin translation and say that”. I like Latin. (The Latin is, via the Vatican website: “Si Dominus voluerit, et vivemus et faciemus hoc aut illud”. I’m still working on the pronunciation, lol.)

Anyway, all that being said (thank you for sticking with me!)… is this something we should be saying (in whatever language, of course)? I feel a little odd even asking if we should heed James 4:15, because of course we should obey the Holy Scriptures. But…

Is it a commandment? Should we say *“If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that” *when we speak of future plans? The information on the Vatican website says it’s what we should say to qualify all our plans (“to qualify all our plans”).

And if we* should* say it, should we say all of it, or can we abbreviate it to “If the Lord wills” with the intention of it meaning the full thing? My preference would be to say it in Latin (not that it’s necessary, I just like the Latin). Saying just “Si Dominus voluerit” isn’t too long… but if all of a sudden I let out a long string of Latin in the middle of a conversation, people might wonder, you know. I would prefer to say the whole thing, but it is long. Imagine… Short version: I’m going to take my dog for a walk, Si Dominus voluerit." Long Version: “My husband and I will be going out to a resturaunt tomorrow, and I’ll plan to try the new chicken lasagna- Si Dominus voluerit, et vivemus et faciemus hoc aut illud.”

I wouldn’t mind saying “God willing”… I suppose my questions are: 1) Are we supposed to? And 2) If so, are we supposed to say all of it, or can it be abbreviated?

I’m sure my mom would like to know the answer to this one !

 

[NHInsider]

“Lord willing,” is the common usage, and there are many people who still keep it.

No, I don’t believe it has ever been considered a commandment - and in fact, it’s not the words that are critical here but the attitude. Whether we say it or not, we should remember, whatever we are doing or planning, that we are called to do the Lord’s will, not our own (see both the Our Father and Jesus’ prayer in the Garden), and that whether or not our plans come to fruition, our true desire is that His will be accomplished.

 

[Danno2281]

From The Book of James, chapter 4:

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we shall go into such and such a town, spend a year there doing business, and make a profit” -

14 you have no idea what your life will be like tomorrow. You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears.

15 Instead *you should say, “If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that.” *

Further information on the Vatican website about James 4:15 mentions that it is “the condition James says we should employ to qualify all our plans”. (Link)

I didn’t remember this scripture, but became interested when my mother mentioned it during our conversation last night. She asked something to the effect of: "Did you know that we’re not to say what we’re going to do tomorrow, unless we say if “God will’s it”? I was fascinated. I told her I knew that Muslims say “Insha’Allah” (God Willing / If It is God’s Will). I then said something such as, “If we are commanded, then I would want to find the Latin translation and say that”. I like Latin. (The Latin is, via the Vatican website: “Si Dominus voluerit, et vivemus et faciemus hoc aut illud”. I’m still working on the pronunciation, lol.)

Anyway, all that being said (thank you for sticking with me!)… is this something we should be saying (in whatever language, of course)? I feel a little odd even asking if we should heed James 4:15, because of course we should obey the Holy Scriptures. But…

Is it a commandment? Should we say *“If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that” *when we speak of future plans? The information on the Vatican website says it’s what we should say to qualify all our plans (“to qualify all our plans”).

And if we* should* say it, should we say all of it, or can we abbreviate it to “If the Lord wills” with the intention of it meaning the full thing? My preference would be to say it in Latin (not that it’s necessary, I just like the Latin). Saying just “Si Dominus voluerit” isn’t too long… but if all of a sudden I let out a long string of Latin in the middle of a conversation, people might wonder, you know. I would prefer to say the whole thing, but it is long. Imagine… Short version: I’m going to take my dog for a walk, Si Dominus voluerit." Long Version: “My husband and I will be going out to a resturaunt tomorrow, and I’ll plan to try the new chicken lasagna- Si Dominus voluerit, et vivemus et faciemus hoc aut illud.”

I wouldn’t mind saying “God willing”… I suppose my questions are: 1) Are we supposed to? And 2) If so, are we supposed to say all of it, or can it be abbreviated?

I’m sure my mom would like to know the answer to this one !

The key to your question lies not in the Latin you quoted, but rather in the words immediately before *pro eo ut dicatis *which translates the Greek anti tou. This a hortatory expression; it urges, but does not command.

 

[workingman]

From The Book of James, chapter 4:

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we shall go into such and such a town, spend a year there doing business, and make a profit” -

14 you have no idea what your life will be like tomorrow. You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears.

15 Instead *you should say, “If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that.” *

Further information on the Vatican website about James 4:15 mentions that it is “the condition James says we should employ to qualify all our plans”. (Link)

I didn’t remember this scripture, but became interested when my mother mentioned it during our conversation last night. She asked something to the effect of: "Did you know that we’re not to say what we’re going to do tomorrow, unless we say if “God will’s it”? I was fascinated. I told her I knew that Muslims say “Insha’Allah” (God Willing / If It is God’s Will). I then said something such as, “If we are commanded, then I would want to find the Latin translation and say that”. I like Latin. (The Latin is, via the Vatican website: “Si Dominus voluerit, et vivemus et faciemus hoc aut illud”. I’m still working on the pronunciation, lol.)

Anyway, all that being said (thank you for sticking with me!)… is this something we should be saying (in whatever language, of course)? I feel a little odd even asking if we should heed James 4:15, because of course we should obey the Holy Scriptures. But…

Is it a commandment? Should we say *“If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that” *when we speak of future plans? The information on the Vatican website says it’s what we should say to qualify all our plans (“to qualify all our plans”).

And if we* should* say it, should we say all of it, or can we abbreviate it to “If the Lord wills” with the intention of it meaning the full thing? My preference would be to say it in Latin (not that it’s necessary, I just like the Latin). Saying just “Si Dominus voluerit” isn’t too long… but if all of a sudden I let out a long string of Latin in the middle of a conversation, people might wonder, you know. I would prefer to say the whole thing, but it is long. Imagine… Short version: I’m going to take my dog for a walk, Si Dominus voluerit." Long Version: “My husband and I will be going out to a resturaunt tomorrow, and I’ll plan to try the new chicken lasagna- Si Dominus voluerit, et vivemus et faciemus hoc aut illud.”

I wouldn’t mind saying “God willing”… I suppose my questions are: 1) Are we supposed to? And 2) If so, are we supposed to say all of it, or can it be abbreviated?

I’m sure my mom would like to know the answer to this one !

I would like to think this is lived out daily. It states in the Our Father, THY WILL BE DONE. When we pray this petition we are asking God that it is his will that be done and not ours. If what we ask is in God’s will for us he will grant it. I start my day with this prayer as a reminder of this.