Where Mercy and Judgement Meet

Last updated on: September 21, 2013 at 8:43 am by Fr. Dwight Longenecker

Where Mercy and Judgement Meet 2013-09-21T08:43:02-05:00 Fr. Dwight Longenecker

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

One of the best ways to analyze a theory is to see if it works. The Holy Father recommends that we priests get out more and embrace those who need forgiveness and healing. We are to welcome all and show the mercy of God to all.

I love it. I love the devotion of the Divine Mercy. I think it is the answer to the world’s sorrows. I want to get away from my desk more and be with my people. I want to embrace all with the love and acceptance and mercy of Christ. I don’t want to condemn anyone. After all, we’re all sinners.

But sometimes reality hits.

Here are a couple of examples of what might happen.

Let’s say this guy and his family turn up one Sunday at church. He’s good looking. So is his wife. They have six kids. I give them a warm welcome and find out that he has made an appointment to see me. He tells me his story. He is a millionaire businessman and a lifelong Catholic. He’d like to enroll his six kids in our struggling school and says, “Father, we’re really looking for a parish where we will receive a warm welcome and where we can really be involved.”

I’m thinking…”I could sure use a few more committee Catholic millionaire businessmen in the parish…”

Then he tells me about his first wife who he married when she was pregnant at the age of eighteen, how that marriage ended within two years, then his second wife and their bitter divorce, and how be met his third wife and how she was divorced and how the two families with three kids each have come together and they are all living happily ever after. He’s got paperwork in to the tribunal and is hoping for a decree of nullity.

So I say: “First of all, this parish welcomes all. We’d love for you and your family to be part of this parish. We’ll get the kids enrolled in school and help you with the decree of nullity and hope we can get the irregular marriage sorted out for you. I must ask, however, until that happens that you and your wife do not present yourselves to receive communion.”

If he gets angry and stomps out blaming me for being judgmental and condemnatory what’s to do?

Here’s another one: Ben and Jerry have had their civil partnership agreement and they join the parish. They sit together at Mass and hold hands as they leave church. Eventually they decide to adopt a child, and they want to have the baby baptized.

Any suggestions on how to be merciful and accepting while still upholding the Catholic teaching on the sacrament of marriage?

What is mercy anyway without judgement and what is judgement without mercy? It seems to me that mercy and judgement are two blades of the same scissors. They are interdependent and we cannot begin to exercise mercy without judgement nor can we exercise judgement without mercy.

Mercy without judgement is relativistic sentimentalism. Judgement without mercy is dogmatic legalism. This is why the Holy Father’s words about discernment in his interview yesterday are words I need to read and re-read because in fact, in parish life, and in our own personal lives we all struggle with the contradictions, hypocrisies and failures all the time. Every parish priest must know of people in his flock who regularly present themselves for communion who (if appearances are correct) are living in mortal sin. Every Catholic must know of inconsistencies and problems in his own path to sanctity for which he pleads for mercy and forgiveness and not judgement.

This struggle between the high standards of our faith and the realities of life are constant. On the one hand we do not abandon the high standards–on the other hands we realize daily our failure to meet those high standards. This is why we come back time and again to the place where mercy and judgement meet: the confessional and Holy Mass.

So in his interview the Pope says how important it is for the confessor to avoid being either too lax or too strict. The sin is not just an objective breaking of the rules which has a just punishment. Nor can the priest just say, “There, there, it doesn’t matter. It’s not really a sin.” He must get involved with the person and walk with them. In that action justice and mercy are met.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

September 17, 2013

Horrible Heresies Alive Today

Next Post

September 20, 2013 Todd Unctuous on the Papal Interview

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Anglican Matters Apologetics Architecture Blobble Study Book Reviews Brideshead Caitlin O'Rourke Catholic Art Catholic Culture Church Politics Chust for Nice Contemporary Culture Duane Mandible Ed Blanch Film Reviews Fr Harvey Nicolaitan Frank Viola Mantilla the Hon More Christianity Mrs Brady Catholic Old Lady Mystery of the Magi Norman Anderson Queen Hillary Saints and Supernatural Spirituality The Inklings The Vicar Theology Todd Unctuous Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz