The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the Kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear."
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the Kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear."
Saint Paul warned his disciples, "Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
The Author of Hebrews also warns us, "We know the one who said, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, and again: “The Lord will judge his people."
Of course they are faithfully echoing the ancient tradition heard in Deuteronomy 32: Vengeance is mine and recompense, for the time they lose their footing; because the day of their disaster is at hand and their doom is rushing upon them.
The Author of Hebrews also warns us, "We know the one who said, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, and again: “The Lord will judge his people."
Of course they are faithfully echoing the ancient tradition heard in Deuteronomy 32: Vengeance is mine and recompense, for the time they lose their footing; because the day of their disaster is at hand and their doom is rushing upon them.
When Saint Paul says, "...leave room for the wrath to come," I suppose he means we should not discount the judgement which must come to every creature.
Secular culture regards utility as the only limiting guide to a consumer culture. If I can do it and pay for it; if I want it; why shouldn't I have it? An adult who is not content with a dog or cat but wants a real pet, can manufacture a child with the purchase of sperm, artificial insemination, and -- if necessary -- renting a womb. They do not respect the child's right to biological parents who are married, love one another, sacrifice for the sake of their marriage and their family, and raise the child in their household.
They do not "leave room for the wrath;" nor even for the future resentment of the human beings who must eventually discover they were bred for the purpose of gratifying their parents. How will they integrate that story into their parents' history? Will they remember their parents' many sacrifices for others' welfare, or their parents' narcissism?
Secular culture regards enemies in the same way. If they oppose what we want they should be removed, eliminated, or "liquidated" -- the Nazi word for the murder of millions of people. America remains as one of the few nations that still liquidates criminals, after a tedious judicial process.
We forget that "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." That eventuality is never considered.
It's ironic that the secular culture dismisses God's judgement when, as human beings, we continually judge one another. What could be more human than to watch closely the actions and attitudes of others and judge them accordingly? We are, after all, made in God's image and so our judgement is a godlike behavior, though invariably shortsighted. To judge others is to eat of the forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It must lead to heartache and disaster.
The Lord urges us to refrain from judgement. Even when we must incarcerate someone for their own protection and the safety of others, we must treat them with compassion, and without judgement. We can still provide for their human dignity, respecting their right to the basics of food, shelter, security, health care, education and the ability to give back.
A nation that idolizes freedom should know better than any other that many people cannot handle too much freedom. That's not judgement; that's common sense. No one can be given total freedom. We have seen what happens when autocrats are given too much freedom; everyone suffers.
And so we live under judgement, realizing that the Lord who created us can strip our freedom from us in the twinkling of an eye.
"Whoever has ears ought to hear."
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.