Mercy Triumphs over Justice

The Mercy of God towards humanity is manifested through the words and deeds of Jesus Christ. Jesus reveals the Mercy of God (Misericordiae Vultus). Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount that all those who are merciful will receive mercy from God (Mt. 5:7), which means that we have to show mercy to others to receive mercy from God.

If we are cruel to others, we have no right to expect mercy from God. Justice means to give each one his/her due. God gives Satan what belongs to Satan; and gives us what we deserve. The whole of humanity had gone away from God through the sin of Adam and Eve but the mercy of God brings the whole of humanity back to God through Jesus Christ. 

Why did Satan come to humanity? 

The envy, hatred and jealousy of Satan is the cause of death in this world. (Wis. 2:24) Satan could not appreciate the welfare plan of God for humanity (Jer. 29:11) Therefore, he wanted to destroy this welfare plan of God by separating them from God. Satan wanted to enjoy the sufferings of man and the whole creation of God. The whole creation is under labour pain through the devil, who subjected them and the whole creation is waiting for liberation through Jesus. (Rom.8:19-23) Through the interaction with Adam and Eve, the devil (Satan) wanted to take revenge upon God and challenge Him. To an extent he succeeded by getting an acquired right over creation (CCC 407). And due to this acquired dominion, the devil has a right to torment the whole of creation. God allowed human sufferings because of His justice, which means God has to allow Satan to enjoy human sufferings – as it is Satan’s due. But the mercy of God doesn’t allow Satan to continue his dominion over humanity forever. And so God sent Jesus as a substitute for everyone who is persecuted. Out of his mercy and compassion Jesus took our infirmities and our sorrows into his body. (Mt. 8:17) Through this act of substitution God fulfilled the tenets of Justice and fulfilled the demands of mercy towards humankind. (CCC 2448)

Mercy versus Justice

There was a king in the Middle East who decided to stop bribery in his kingdom by enacting a law that everyone who accepted bribery must be tied to a tripod and given thirty lashes. One day the mother of the king was arrested for that crime. All the people and judges advised the King, that she be freed, due to her old age. But the king said ‘Justice is Justice’ and that she had to be punished. The people wondered at the cruelty of the King. But at the instance of the first lash the King pushed away his mother from the tripod and stood instead and took the 30 lashes on his body. Justice was done and mercy was also shown. This King can be compared to Jesus. Jesus was wounded for us. And because of His stripes we are made free. (Is. 53:4-6) Each and every one of us would have been beaten and crucified if Jesus had not suffered and been crucified. Jesus was crucified for each and every one of us according to the Justice of God but according to the Mercy of God each and every one of us is substituted by Jesus.

How do we get the mercy of God?

All those who have will be given more and all those who have not, will have taken away what they have. (Matt 25:29) All those who are merciful towards others will receive more mercy from God and all those who are not merciful towards others will lose what they already have in their life.

So let us practice seven corporal works and seven spiritual works of Charity towards others in this Extraordinary Year of Mercy. (CCCc Appendix B) “It is my burning desire that, during this Jubilee, the Christian people may reflect on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy” and perform them readily. (Pope Francis I) And he also recommends that we all pray the chaplet of divine mercy daily, imploring mercy on us and on the whole world.