It seems to me that from beginning to end the Bible deals with righteousness in two different ways. In the normal affairs of men and nations, it's the deciding factor, the "plumb line". God taught mankind to develop laws and to regulate the consequences of breaking them. 'Justice' is a towering and passionate theme in His conversation with us, for He suffers out of His love for the oppressed, the scorned, the victims of the stronger. And then time and again, He seems to switch His perspective and talk to us about mercy and forgiveness, and His intention to forget completely whatever we've done wrong:
"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 or 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" (Psalm 103:8-14).
Of course, He isn't being inconsistent. The difference lies in what we are experiencing. When I am determined to ignore God and go my own way, my inherently flawed nature brings me to grief and the consequences are bitter. But if I give up on myself and throw myself upon His mercy, then He restores our relationship together and He holds absolutely nothing against me. That's God: He can. But us: how very difficult it is to accept that. It seems so unfair. Even while I am delighted to hear His words of forgiveness to me, deep down I doubt. I'll probably keep judging my brother and placing some moral conditions around forgiveness. You know, things like 'You can't be right with God if you are gay'. And I'll remain, maybe only at an unconscious level, doubtful of such unconditional grace.
It's only our beholding and embracing the crucified Son of God, with heart and soul and strength, which finally frees us from these doubts and fears and completely "cleanses from a guilty conscience" (Hebrews 10:22). There on the Cross, He totally identifies with our state, whether pitiful or vicious, and shows there's nothing about it which deters His love.
'OK, Lord, I can accept that if the books are balanced and You punish Jesus instead of me'.
'Hush, My child, My love keeps no record of wrongs. They require no satisfaction - that is still your unhealed heart speaking.'
Jesus tried in all kinds of ways to communicate this truth to us, as He told stories to the common people, taught His disciples, and finally demonstrated it on the Cross.
It is not that justice does not require satisfaction, it is that God Himself has provided that satisfaction, by freely offering Himself for our redemption. It's back to the necessity of the Tri-unity of God, that essential mystery of the Christian faith.
ReplyDeleteI suppose you were being deliberately provocative when you mentioned homosexuality. This is such a difficult subject, that I will just have to quote the Catechism on it, otherwise I'll probably get into difficulties. It is a beautifully balanced treatment:
'2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,141 tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."142 They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.
2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.
2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.'