Heart of Jesus, Source of Justice and Love
The Sacred Heart of Jesus is a sanctuary in which justice and love are located. God is just, that is, he rewards good and punishes evil. God is also merciful, that is, he eagerly forgives the repentant sinner. God is One. In Him, all Attributes are one. Our inefficiency makes us see every thing separately, so we distinguish and separate goodness, justice, wisdom and omnipotence in God. But just as in a prism, one white ray of light decomposes into seven colors of the rainbow, so in the infinite perfection of God being one we see different qualities. In the Gospel we find not only words full of love that move us to tears, but also thunderous anger of justice that fill us with fear.
Certainly Jesus terrifies Pharisees when he rebuked them: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees [...] blind guides [...] hypocrites! [...] Serpents, you brood of vipers, how can you flee from the judgment of Gehenna? " (cf. Mt 23, 13-35). Or when he said about the demoralizers: " Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of things that cause sin! Such things must come, but woe to the one through whom they come! " (Mt 18, 6-7). He said sadly about Judas: " It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” " (Mt 26, 24).
Jesus, as good Teacher, did not fail to express with all clarity the fundamental truth about hell, and with the power he taught: " Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." (Mt 25: 41). Indeed, Jesus is full of love and awesome. He is full of love for those who love Him; however, he warns those who forget him. There is nothing more tragic than despised love.
Some of us have doubts: If the Lord Jesus is so good and merciful, how can there be hell? It must exist because God is infinite justice. It also makes no sense to think that if God is good, he closes his eyes to human sins and mistakes. This is what people sometimes do, because human love is imperfect. God is merciful and gracious but just. So when we find ourselves before the throne of justice, we will be judged with all accuracy and justice.
At the time of death, our time of mercy will end. No one should be under the illusion that a Divine Judge will lead him into heaven if he has not deserved it; or that he would give him one degree of glory higher than he was entitled to. None of this - God's mercy ends on earth.
If someone prays that God will be merciful to him in the day of judgment, then God can only hear him in this way, that in this life he will give him the necessary graces so that he can cleanse himself from sins and persevere in God's grace until his death. However, all mercy ceases before God's throne, and justice remains.
When a man contemplates God's justice, he feels fear and may be terrified. However, when he considers God's love, he feels trust and sometimes overconfidence. We should combine these feelings: have cautious trust and trusting fear.
Good Jesus, who were merciful to the greatest sinners; let us go through the test of earthly life in such a way that we could attain Your mercy in heaven for eternity.
LIVE THE WORD!
Look at your life, your conduct - does it express your faith in the enormity of God's love and mercy? Do you also remember that God is just? Pray today that God would show you mercy at the time of death and the final judgment.
“O Incomprehensible God, how great is Your mercy! It surpasses the combined understanding of all men and angels. All the angels and all humans have emerged from the very depths of Your tender mercy. Mercy is the flower of love. God is love, and mercy is His deed. In love it is conceived; in mercy it is revealed. Everything I look at speaks to me of God’s mercy. Even God’s very justice speaks to me about His fathomless mercy, because justice flows from love.” (Diary 651)
Until Tomorrow
fr. george