{"id":3756,"date":"2016-03-01T08:00:50","date_gmt":"2016-03-01T00:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=3756"},"modified":"2022-03-10T20:24:08","modified_gmt":"2022-03-10T12:24:08","slug":"matthew-2531-46-an-intersection-of-justice-and-mercy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=3756","title":{"rendered":"147. Matthew 25:31-46, An Intersection of Justice and Mercy*"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cThen the king will say to those at his right hand, \u2018Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;\u00a0 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,\u00a0I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me<\/span>.\u2019<\/strong>\u201d [Matthew 25:34-3<\/span>6<\/span>, NRSV<\/em>]<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0<\/a>\"\"\u00a0<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

[L] Scales and Scared Heart<\/em>, by Louise Webb. [M]\u00a0Angels in Michelangelo\u2019s The Last Judgment<\/em>. \u201cSmall\u201d book of life to the righteous (Christ\u2019s right); \u201cbig\u201d book of death to the damned(Christ\u2019s left). [R]\u00a0The Last Judgment<\/em>, by Michelangelo.<\/span><\/p>\n

Judgment<\/em> spells \u201cjustice\u201d, due punishment and retribution, while mercy<\/em> bespeaks compassion, forgiveness and unearned-favours. They seem to juxtapose, and even clash. And yet, like the scales of justice and the Sacred Heart, they come as a pair in the divine scheme of things. Justice and mercy<\/em>, Christians have traditionally understood, are aspects of God\u2019s love. Indeed, as Saint Bernard of Clairvaux suggests, mercy and judgment are the two feet of God; neither foot should be neglected. What does the Last Judgment say about this?<\/span><\/p>\n

[1] God’s Justice Is His Mercy<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the Nicene Creed, we proclaim our faith \u201cin one Lord, Jesus Christ<\/em>\u201d who \u201cwill come again in glory to judge the living and the dead<\/em>.\u201d We are all familiar with Our Saviour’s graphic end-time discourse: before the Christ-Judge will be gathered all nations, and he will separate them like a shepherd does \u2013 goats (the damned) to his left heading for burning hell, and sheep (the righteous) to his right destined for eternal joy. Pointing to the general judgment of all humankind, these words speak of the Day of Judgment in which our eternal destiny will be sealed.<\/span><\/p>\n

It would of course be easier to think of mercy from such Bible stories like the prodigal son, the lost sheep, or the woman caught in adultery, rather than from readings on Christ’s second coming \u201cto judge the living and the dead.\u201d But these latter readings are not meant to make our reflection easier; rather, they help us understand more fully the gift and mystery of God’s mercy. The Last Judgment in Matthew 25:31-46 teaches that God\u2019s justice is His mercy. They intersect.<\/span><\/p>\n

[2] Mercy and Justice Intersect<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Mary\u2019s Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) spotlights this intersection. A canticle that reveals the spirituality of the biblical anawim<\/em>, it exalts the simple faithful who affirm their poverty by detaching from all idolatry of wealth and power. By humility of heart, they steer free of temptation to pride, and open themselves to saving divine grace. The whole Magnificat is characterized by this profound humility. In a dual movement, Mary first praises the Almighty who has done great things for a lowly servant and then introduces the intersection of mercy and justice in the seven divine works of the Lord of history. He has scattered the proud-hearted, brought down the powerful from their thrones, lifted up the lowly, filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. This portrayal of the very essence of who God is and what He does is soon followed by the promise of the Son of God himself in the synagogue in Nazareth as he reads from the Isaian scroll:<\/span><\/p>\n