Justice and Mercy

[martin]

                                               St Ignatious of Loyola
                                                  Feast-day today

          If the devil tempts me by the thought of Divine justice, I think of God's mercy;
     if he tries to fill me with presumption by the thought of His mercy, I think of His justice.

[Brigid]

 

[Shin]

This really works with other temptations too, the devils love to work to excess.. always trying for us to go too far, or too little! But when we break through the clouds and storms and steer straight..

Deo gratias! It's all by the grace of God and now of ourselves! 

[Patricia]

Excerpt from 'The Revelations of St. Elizabeth'  Found it on Saintsworks.   This passage made me cry.

One day when the handmaid of Christ, Elizabeth, was persevering in prayer and was most bitterly weeping over her sins, Jesus who is the comforter of those who mourn appeared to her and said, "My dearest daughter, let not the memory of your sins trouble or sadden you, for all your sins are forgiven you." And when she replied to the contrary and said that she was convinced that if he wished to treat her with justice and not mercy, she ought to be condemned to the pains of hell, Jesus replied and said, "My daughter, justice has already been done to God the Father for your sins, and full satisfaction made to him already for everything, according to the demands of justice. For if you have offended God with all the limbs of your body, I have suffered for your sins and those of the entire human race in all the limbs of my body. For if you have offended with your hands and feet, my hands and my feet were fixed with harshest nails to the wood of the cross. If you have offended with your head, my head was lacerated most painfully with thorns. If with your eyes, my eyes were bound and covered with a blindfold. If with your ears, my ears heard blasphemies and revolting insults. If with your tongue, my tongue was sprinkled with strong vinegar and torn. If with your heart, my heart was pierced with a lance. If you have offended God with your entire body, my entire body has been scourged, so that from the soles of my feet to the top of my head there could be seen in me no trace of wholeness (Is 1:6). You can therefore see, daughter, that suitable satisfaction has been most justly done to God the Father for your sins. Truly, I have borne in my heart the languors of every sin and their sorrows – I who did no sin, nor was any guile found in my mouth" (Is 53:9).

[martin]

That is so moving.. I can see how it brought tears to your eyes.

  Praise the LORD, O my soul;
  all my inmost being, praise His holy name.

  Praise the LORD, O my soul,
  and forget not all His benefits-

  who forgives all your sins
  and heals all your diseases,

  who redeems your life from the pit
  and crowns you with love and compassion,

  who satisfies your desires with good things
  so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

  The LORD works righteousness
  and justice for all the oppressed.

  He made known his ways to Moses,
  His deeds to the people of Israel:

  The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
  slow to anger, abounding in love.

  He will not always accuse,
  nor will he harbor His anger forever;

  He does not treat us as our sins deserve
  nor repay us according to our iniquities.

  For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
  so great is his love for those who fear Him;

  As far as the east is from the west,
  so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

  As a father has compassion on his children,
  so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him;

  for He knows how we are formed,
  He remembers that we are dust.

  As for man, his days are like grass,
  he flourishes like a flower of the field;

  the wind blows over it and it is gone,
  and its place remembers it no more.

  But from everlasting to everlasting
  the LORD's love is with those who fear Him,
  and His righteousness with their children's children-

  with those who keep His covenant
  and remember to obey His precepts.

  The LORD has established His throne in heaven,
   and His kingdom rules over all.

  Praise the LORD, you His angels,
  you mighty ones who do His bidding,
  who obey His word.

  Praise the LORD, all His heavenly hosts,
  you His servants who do His will.

  Praise the LORD, all His works
  everywhere in His dominion.
  Praise the LORD, O my soul.

           Psalm 103

 

[Patricia]

If the Lord at the moment of my death reproves me for being too kind to sinners, I will answer, 'My dear Jesus, if it is a fault to be too kind to sinners, it is a fault I learned from you, for you never scolded anyone who came to you seeking mercy.'

-- Saint Leonard of Port Maurice

[Brigid]

my feet were fixed with harshest nails to the wood of the cross.

The pain on His feet and ankles, with all the weight of his body on them, must have been excruciating!

If with your tongue, my tongue was sprinkled with strong vinegar and torn.

so that from the soles of my feet to the top of my head there could be seen in me no trace of wholeness

[martin]

If the Lord at the moment of my death reproves me for being too kind to sinners, I will answer, 'My dear Jesus, if it is a fault to be too kind to sinners, it is a fault I learned from you, for you never scolded anyone who came to you seeking mercy.'

-- Saint Leonard of Port Maurice

I pray that I will have that fault too. 

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. (Luke 6: 36)

The pain on His feet and ankles, with all the weight of his body on them, must have been excruciating!

O all ye that pass by the way, attend, and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow: (Lm 1: 12)