Monday, February
25, 2002
2nd Week of Lent
1st Reading:
Dan 9:4-10
Gospel:
Lk 6:36-38
Jesus said to his
disciples, "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Don't be a judge of others and you will not be judged; do not condemn
and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven; give
and it will be given to you, and you will receive in your sack good measure,
pressed down, full and running over. For the measure you give will be
the measure you receive back."
Commentary
"Yes, your uncle
abused you. But try to forgive him, as Jesus teaches us." Is this
right? No, especially not if it's used as an excuse for inaction. Society
must punish the abuser, not for revenge, but to reassert the violated
value, speaking the truth, in love, to both abuser and victim: "An
innocent person has been gravely wronged. We must act to ensure that this
will not be repeated."
Unless we are living
in the jungle, other alternatives are available to us apart from killing
people, to ensure that others are safe from them. Mercy and justice require
us to do no more and no less than what is necessary to restrain offenders
from further serious abuse of their freedom. But those in prison are still
God's children. Providing
humane conditions, in keeping with human dignity, and recognizing that
people are more than their wrong-doing, are the Christian way.