Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven."
In the mind of many Catholics there is an apparent contradiction between our first and second readings today.
The reading from Daniel reflects Jewish prophetic tradition and readily admits, "We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws."
Doesn't that sound like judgement to you? So should we judge ourselves? And perhaps, judge ourselves mercilessly?
Old Catholics like me, remembering a different age in the history of the Church, were encouraged to smoke out the slightest faults in our character and condemn them severely. Things like disobeying one's parents or failing to study hard or snubbing a classmate had to be confessed ASAP, which would be at least before First Friday, if not before Sunday. And sexual thoughts, words, and -- God help us! -- deeds? Don't even think about that. They wandered beyond sin into blasphemy, anathema, and excommunication. They might be that mysteriously undefined unforgivable sin.
But the Lord does say, "Be merciful, just as your (Heavenly) Father is merciful." And today's priests are encouraged to hear confessions and readily forgive the sins that are confessed, and many that are not.
The abler confessors truly speak to our hearts and persuade us to go easy on the self-condemnation. It's neither necessary nor helpful. (And it might make matters worse; some people take a suspicious pleasure in remembering their sins.)
The virtue of penance teaches that fine balance between sad regret over our sins, including our persistent bad habits, and the acceptance of oneself as loved by God. We must see and appreciate the Sacrifice of Calvary,
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life."
Experience also shows that we mortals cannot isolate our self-condemnation from the condemnation of others. If I hate myself I hate others. But If I see myself through God's merciful eyes, I will see others with the same benevolent kindness. Or, to put it differently, I can see myself through the eager, friendly eyes of the Child Jesus who regards every adult as grandparent, aunt or uncle, and every child as a cousin.
God's eye is penetrating and it shows me who I am. If my guilt is truly serious, the Spirit of God drives me to repentance. Do it now! Atone, apologize, confess, receive God's mercy, and be done with it.
Saint Peter of Alcantara, a 14th century Spanish Franciscan wrote:
"Lord, I have done that which is like what I am, nor can anything else be expected at my hands but these and the like transgressions; nor had I stopped here, but plunged myself further into all wickedness, if thy goodness had permitted it, and left me wholly to myself. I give thee infinite thanks that thou didst not thus leave me, and for what I have done I am sorry. Pardon me for thy own sake, and for what thou art, and give me grace to offend thee no more, but admit me again to the favour of thy friendship."
Having done this, lose neither time nor quiet of mind, imagining that perhaps God hath not pardoned you, and the like, but with full repose proceed with your exercise as though you had committed no fault; and this, as I have said, not once, but a hundred times, and, if there were need, every moment, with as much confidence and tranquility the last time as the first. For, beside the particular service of God herein, a thousand other advantages are gained by it; time is not lost in futile excuses, further progress is not obstructed, but, on the contrary, sin is subdued and mastered with much profit and perfection. This I would gladly inculcate upon, and persuade scrupulous and disquieted souls of; then they would soon see how different a state of tranquility they would find themselves in, and pity the blindness of those who, so much to their cost, go on still losing so much precious time. Note this well, for it is the key to all true spiritual progress, and the shortest means to attain to it.
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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.