The Balance of Justice and Mercy

Both of today’s readings give special attention to the concept of laws. In the first reading Moses tells us to follow these laws to receive their inheritance, the Promised Land: “Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you to observe, that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.” And in the Gospel, Christ says “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.”

Laws are a necessity for us to live a good and moral life: they hold us accountable and from them we have justice. There’s no question that laws are an absolute necessity – they are a backbone and foundation for which we can build up good. They are a way of saying no to ourselves and to others so we set limits that ironically allow us to be free. We say “no” to eating too many sweets so we can live a healthier, longer life. We say “no” to drinking too much so that we're free from dependency on booze. The list of limits we can place on ourselves so that we can be free is never-ending. These limits go hand in hand with laws, we must have them, and if we want to be truly free, we must abide by them. In “A Man for All Seasons” Sir Thomas Moore asks, “and when the last law was down, and the Devil turned ‘round on you, where would you hide… the laws all being flat?” Where would we hide if we rid ourselves of all our laws?

My biggest struggle with the ideas of laws and justice isn’t whether to obey them or not but rather how to add mercy to that equation; how do we hold somebody accountable for their actions but show them mercy and forgiveness as well? Our society’s ideas of laws and justice these days are fickle enough and then you add to mix finding the virtue in balancing mercy and justice and you have a fine line to walk and a heavy cross to carry.

Author: Jonathan Alexander, Athletic Department