Judging and Mercy
Mar 6: Monday of the Second Week in Lent
Today’s Gospel is one of those passages people love to take out of context. But reading without context is almost as useless as not reading at all. That’s why priests give homilies and catechists teach, why theologians study, and why, at the veeeeeeeeerrry bottom of this list, I write this page.
As noted a couple Sundays ago, Satan quotes the Bible, but Jesus puts it in the proper context.
Reading 1
Dn 9:4b-10
"Lord, great and awesome God, you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you and observe your commandments! We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws. We have not obeyed your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land. Justice, O Lord, is on your side; we are shamefaced even to this day: we, the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel, near and far, in all the countries to which you have scattered them because of their treachery toward you. O LORD, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers, for having sinned against you. But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness! Yet we rebelled against you and paid no heed to your command, O LORD, our God, to live by the law you gave us through your servants the prophets."
Daniel looks at all of Israel, sees their wickedness and sinfulness, but doesn’t condemn them. In fact, he lumps himself in with them! Notice the word “I” doesn’t appear anywhere in there; it’s all “we,” including Daniel himself.
He identifies their (and his) sin, and asks God for mercy and forgiveness. They’ve done things wrong—the whole passage makes no sense if they’re innocent. Daniel doesn’t turn a blind eye to any of that.
But he asks God to.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 79:8, 9, 11 and 13
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Like Daniel, the Psalmist is very clear-eyed about his situation here. He’s not claiming the prisoners were wrongfully imprisoned or anything.
So he asks for pardon, and, presuming God’s mercy, offers up praise in advance.
Verse Before the Gospel See
Jn 6:63c, 68c
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.
We must heed Jesus’ words. All of them.
Gospel
Lk 6:36-38
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. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."
Jesus re-affirms Daniel and the Psalm—God the Father is merciful. And we should emulate Him, for others’ sake as well as our own.
But Jesus is not saying we should ignore the fault in others. Just a couple verses later, He says, “Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.” So, clearly we’re supposed to see error and correct it when we can.
I doubt anyone wants to avoid judgement altogether. After all, there’s no way one can improve without it. Sometimes, we all need someone to point out when we’re doing something wrong. So, measure out judgements and mercy they you would like to receive them, with charity and understanding, but a clear-eyed understanding of right and wrong.