LAW Red Mass

Homily

Intro

shiny golden scales

perfectly balanced

Scales of justice

two plates by bright silver chains same level

real mercy is always balanced in justice

find meaning of justice and mercy by reflecting on this image of balance

What? a perfect balance?

justice as balance, but mercy balancing with justice?

seem like polar opposites, ying and yang, fire and cold, positive and negatives

seems mercy when scales tipped, and DONT balance it, whereas justice do balance

how can mercy be perfectly balanced with justice?

how is that a good symbol?

Importance

justice colors:

what penal sentence or civil damages are appropriate

what cases to be prioritized

what should do for clients and state

as first reading says, must be just, merciful (better translation than lovingly kind), and walk with God (that is Truth Himself)

justice and mercy apply to yall more any,

so, us, above all, better know what justice and mercy is to walk with Truth

we know we are to be just, that is the judicial system after all (for GA even fittingly makes DA’s part of its judicial branch),

ius-dicere

but merciful?

is it ever just to be merciful let alone for a judiciary to be merciful?

seems 2 out of balance?

perhaps we should look at what justice and mercy are.

Justice

easier of 2

Justice: giving/receiving due Lev 19:15 (no deference to poor or great, but what is right to them)

balancing the scales:

treating law as law, no more no less

human as human, no more no less

debtors as having a debt, no more no less

simple, giving and receiving due

Mercy

much harder

not being severe?

e.g. kids less punishment than adult criminal

justice; equal punishment to a full grown, capable adult?

at least know mercy produces forgiving debt

but then how could it balance with justice that balances all debts?

hmmmm, look to the just God, Truth himself, better see what mercy is

God

like most major religions, Catholics see God merciful to sinners, and this means our debts forgiven

like major, NEVER God unjust.... well that seems to lead to a case between prosecution and defense...

On prosecution, hold em accountable! seem justice all debts must, at least in the end, be repaid in full or punished by God.

On defense, let em go! mercy would seem to be that God forgives debts, cancels them out....

well, ehhhhh that’s an issue.

seems the scales have to tilt in one side or another, either justice or mercy…

God is perfectly just and unforgiving or forgiving but unjust.

and it gets much much worse...

Cur Deus

2 fold debt

Ps 49 “truly no man can ransom himself or pay the price of his life to God”

issue: Forgives, then no justice. Justice then unmerciful

Christ

thus the just judge comes in and gives the outcome that balances in truth, justice and mercy kiss at the cross

the cross like a scale in perfect balance on its outstretched arms,

in His hands, justice and mercy stands.

The reality

B/c Truth itself (God) just, someone always in truth bears cost justi,

so even in mercy, the scales balance

the question is who pays.

if you take $100 and I forgive you, someone paid $100 (me) [SHOW SCALES]

what happened, therefore, for the forgiveness to happen since justice is met?

took debt myself freely, paid the price and considered my payment yours

In that specifically, gracious, under no obligation met demand of justice

compassion (latin) or synpathy (greek)

same suffering or same feeling

we then see a glimps of mercy there balanced w/ justice, lets snatch it before gone:

mercy is seeing neighbor as another self.

this is how forgivness is mercy and how us Catholics can call helping the poor mercy even if they owe us no debts

see as other self

As God became man too see us as another self, so should we see our neighbors as another self.

This is mercy, a very weird english name for misericordia or cumpassio

For us

mercy must balance

always someone pays price of justice (as second reading, in the end of things)

In truth’s eyes, no such thing as mercy without someone paying [SHOW SCALES BALANCING]

question who,

let never be victim or society unless they free embrace cost

cannot forgive/pity on elses behalf!

can deny someone’s claim and let off when justice demand, but never on mercy w/o authority of the wronged.

neither mercy nor justice ($100 example on behalf of another)

like love, mercy much misinterpreted by current

Mercy not cheap or soft,

just as serious as justice [POINT TO CROSS],

let’s not think dishing out mercy is softer or easier than justice.

as mercy then is paid by the wronged party, can only justly act on it when those wronged (society as a whole or a victim) heroically forgive.

otherwise not just and so not in the preview of the judiciary, ius dicere.

May you all be sanctified this day to be living symbols of true justice and true mercy

It is you all who stand as bulwarks against

rule of politics over law

rule of anarchic brute force over ordered reason

rule of pontius Pilates fear of mob over truth

be the shining golden scales of Truth.

in the controversy of mercy, see that justice agree.

Notes:

Me:

Possible Topics

what law is to us

Anselm justice and mercy

Readings

Lk is seek and you will find

Micah: claim against his people: demands be “just, (hesed and eleon in greek, merciful,), and humbly w/ Lord”

Malachi: God distinguishes wicked from just and day of reckoning will come, tho now it seems evildoers are blessed.