WE need to be clear about this. The
value of a person is
more than the moral quality of his words and deeds. Christ himself has
shown and taught this to us.
In the eyes of God, we are always like little children,
regardless of how mature and accomplished we are in human terms. We
are always lovable to him, in spite of our weaknesses, mistakes and
sins. He might be angry for some reason, but his anger will only for a
moment, but his mercy will always be there.
We need to acknowledge the ultimate reality about
ourselves—that we are all creatures of God, children of his, created
in his image and likeness. He will love us still like crazy, in spite
of our stupidities.
Remember that beautiful passage from the Book of Isaiah:
“Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion the son
of her womb? Even these may forget but I will not forget you.” (49,15)
That is why, Christ, the God made man, was more interested
in dispensing mercy than in exacting strict justice. He, of course, is
interested in both. But in all his teachings and actuations, that is
what we can see very clearly.
He readily acceded, for example, to the request of the
thief who was crucified with him. The thief did not explicitly ask for
pardon. He just wanted to be in Paradise with Christ. For Christ, that
was good enough. That the thief was sorry for what he did was already
implied with that request.
Even in the final moments of his earthly life, while
hanging on the cross, he managed to ask for forgiveness for those who
crucified him, “for they know not what they are doing.” He fraternized
with sinners. Zaccheus was one of them. Mary Magdalene was another. He
was generous with his mercy and compassion.
In the end, he bore all our sins by offering his life on
the cross for us. He who committed no sin, according to St. Paul, made
himself like sin to make us righteous again before God. (cfr 2 Cor
5,21)
We have to learn to be more in dispensing mercy and
compassion than in exacting justice. And that’s especially because our
human justice, no matter how well developed it is, can never fathom
the mystery of the dignity of man.
In fact, nowadays we can cite many instances where our
justice and legal systems are made to serve nothing other than
self-interest, naked revenge, greed and sin itself, etc. That abortion
is now legal in many supposedly developed countries is proof of this.
In fact, a US presidential candidate, who fortunately lost
in the elections, went to the extent of saying that a baby just
moments before being born can still be aborted, because that baby has
no constitutional rights yet.
I thought you need only common sense here than the
constitution to know what is right and wrong in this particular case.
And yet that view was readily accepted by the mainstream media with
hardly any stir of doubt. That’s how perfect our legal and judicial
systems can go!
Sometimes, we get fixated with one bad thing a person may
have committed and ignore the many other good things he has done. And
even in the worst scenario of a person who has done bad things 99% and
only 1% of good things, we still have to be eager to show mercy and
compassion even if the requirements of justice may still have to be
pursued, if not here in this life then in the life hereafter. God
always has the last say, not us.
We have to train ourselves to be merciful. Remember that
Christ told us to be forgiving always so that we too can be forgiven.
A part of the Lord’s Prayer is most relevant in guiding us
in our relationship with one another. It’s when Christ said, “Forgive
us our sins (trespasses) as we forgive those who sin (trespass)
against us.” It’s clear therefore that we can only be forgiven if we
also forgive others.
We have to be clear that his injunction is meant for
everyone, and not only for a few whom we may consider to be
religiously inclined. That’s why when asked how many times we should
forgive, he said not only seven times, but seventy times seven,
meaning always.
We should not fall into the trap of putting justice and
mercy in conflict. Both have to go together. Their distinction does
not mean they are opposed to each other. Any appearance of conflict is
only apparent.
more than the moral quality of his words and deeds. Christ himself has
shown and taught this to us.
In the eyes of God, we are always like little children,
regardless of how mature and accomplished we are in human terms. We
are always lovable to him, in spite of our weaknesses, mistakes and
sins. He might be angry for some reason, but his anger will only for a
moment, but his mercy will always be there.
We need to acknowledge the ultimate reality about
ourselves—that we are all creatures of God, children of his, created
in his image and likeness. He will love us still like crazy, in spite
of our stupidities.
Remember that beautiful passage from the Book of Isaiah:
“Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion the son
of her womb? Even these may forget but I will not forget you.” (49,15)
That is why, Christ, the God made man, was more interested
in dispensing mercy than in exacting strict justice. He, of course, is
interested in both. But in all his teachings and actuations, that is
what we can see very clearly.
He readily acceded, for example, to the request of the
thief who was crucified with him. The thief did not explicitly ask for
pardon. He just wanted to be in Paradise with Christ. For Christ, that
was good enough. That the thief was sorry for what he did was already
implied with that request.
Even in the final moments of his earthly life, while
hanging on the cross, he managed to ask for forgiveness for those who
crucified him, “for they know not what they are doing.” He fraternized
with sinners. Zaccheus was one of them. Mary Magdalene was another. He
was generous with his mercy and compassion.
In the end, he bore all our sins by offering his life on
the cross for us. He who committed no sin, according to St. Paul, made
himself like sin to make us righteous again before God. (cfr 2 Cor
5,21)
We have to learn to be more in dispensing mercy and
compassion than in exacting justice. And that’s especially because our
human justice, no matter how well developed it is, can never fathom
the mystery of the dignity of man.
In fact, nowadays we can cite many instances where our
justice and legal systems are made to serve nothing other than
self-interest, naked revenge, greed and sin itself, etc. That abortion
is now legal in many supposedly developed countries is proof of this.
In fact, a US presidential candidate, who fortunately lost
in the elections, went to the extent of saying that a baby just
moments before being born can still be aborted, because that baby has
no constitutional rights yet.
I thought you need only common sense here than the
constitution to know what is right and wrong in this particular case.
And yet that view was readily accepted by the mainstream media with
hardly any stir of doubt. That’s how perfect our legal and judicial
systems can go!
Sometimes, we get fixated with one bad thing a person may
have committed and ignore the many other good things he has done. And
even in the worst scenario of a person who has done bad things 99% and
only 1% of good things, we still have to be eager to show mercy and
compassion even if the requirements of justice may still have to be
pursued, if not here in this life then in the life hereafter. God
always has the last say, not us.
We have to train ourselves to be merciful. Remember that
Christ told us to be forgiving always so that we too can be forgiven.
A part of the Lord’s Prayer is most relevant in guiding us
in our relationship with one another. It’s when Christ said, “Forgive
us our sins (trespasses) as we forgive those who sin (trespass)
against us.” It’s clear therefore that we can only be forgiven if we
also forgive others.
We have to be clear that his injunction is meant for
everyone, and not only for a few whom we may consider to be
religiously inclined. That’s why when asked how many times we should
forgive, he said not only seven times, but seventy times seven,
meaning always.
We should not fall into the trap of putting justice and
mercy in conflict. Both have to go together. Their distinction does
not mean they are opposed to each other. Any appearance of conflict is
only apparent.
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