THE WOES OF THOSE WHO DEFY GOD
Jesus
is not interested in pandering to the feelings of anyone. His concern
is with the truth, and if the truth is uncomfortable for some, then so
be it. Of course, He is not callous in the way He delivers the truth,
but at the same time, He does not try to coat a stern or challenging
message with so much sugar that the bitterness in it is lost. This
attitude of Jesus is helpful for our own lives.
There is an old proverb that says, he who spares the rod spoils the
child. This is not meant to encourage corporal punishment but to
recognize that there are times in our lives when we need to be chastised
for the wrong we have done. I remember the times when I was punished at
school, nearly every one of them fully deserved, and they helped form
the way I perceived right and wrong. I am not saying that being beaten
with a ruler or cane is a good way to inculcate that sense of order, but
I do think that a certain level of punishment appropriate to a misdeed is justified from time to time.
God allows us to feel the effects of sin in our lives, such that many
innocent people, as well as the perpetrators of the sins, experience
suffering and hardship. Where is justice in that for the innocent? When I
suffered through no fault of my own as a child, it was still a learning
experience as it formed my sense of justice and the desire to avoid
doing anything that was going to be detrimental to others.
Jesus reminds us in the Gospel that justice will prevail in the end.
Even though we know that it will be heavily tempered with God’s mercy,
it is imperative that we realize that God’s goodness to us cannot be
taken for granted forever. Time will come when we have to respond to it,
and if we do not, we will discover eternity outside the presence of our
all-loving God. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL
REFLECTION
QUESTIONS: Do you take God’s mercy and love for granted? Do you respond
to His forgiveness by seriously attempting to rid your life of any sin?
Jesus,
You are the only way to the Father. Thank You for Your mercy and love.
Help me to live as Your disciple and so become a witness of Your
transforming love to the world.
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