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The practice and exercise of justice is the religious response to
having experienced the mercy of God in our lives. If we have ever
been forgiven, let off the hook, given another chance, then the only
response to that gift is to live justly, to give to others what is
demanded in justice because they are human beings and because when God could have dealt with us justly, God didn't.
- Megan McKenna, Parables -
(Spend some time thanking God for showing mercy in forgiving your
sins. Where do you find a need to practice forgiveness at this time
in your life? )
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Heb 10:32-39; Ps 37:3-6, 23-24, 39-40; Mk 4:26-34 R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord. Trust in the LORD and do good,
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart's requests.
Commit to the LORD your way;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will make justice dawn for you like the light;
bright as the noonday shall be your vindication.
and he approves his way.
Though he fall, he does not lie prostrate,
for the hand of the LORD sustains him.
he is their refuge in time of distress.
And the LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him. USCCB Lectionary
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Those of us who live in western society can easily forget that we generally live at the top of the historical pyramid of human privilege, and the benefits we enjoy are because of our good fortune in being born into this world in this place at this particular point in human history. Even people in our societies who struggle for the daily means of existence are still in some ways (due to our governmental and private "safety nets") better off than the poor and downtrodden of 2,000 years ago.
And so when the Hebrews author encourages us to "keep the faith" by not forgetting the ways in which we shared in the sufferings of those in prison, it really reminds us to keep demonstrating our faith by continuing to share in those confinements, however they are created for our sisters and brothers. And when we are told we have joyfully accepted the confiscation of our property, I think it really means to be mindful of the need to detach our true selves from the wondrous bounty that surrounds us, and to realize that the true gift we have received is not physical things that will fade away, but the salvation we receive from trusting in the Lord. We keep our faith by keeping our focus, by committing our way to that of the Lord. - by Tom Purcell Creighton Online Ministries
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On Cleaving to God, by St. Albert the Great
While a sinner cannot, of himself, rise from innumerable sins, and free and absolve himself from them, and not even from just one sin. For we are unable not only to do, but even to think anything good, of
ourselves, but this is from God. Nonetheless it is much more dangerous, other things being equal, to be ensnared in many sins than in a single one, since no sin is left unpunished, and every mortal sin deserves infinite punishment, and this by the rigour of justice since any such sin is against God who is indeed worthy of infinite reverence, dignity and honour. - Chapter 16. How God's providence includes everything.
Paperback (Kindle edition available)
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