Forgiveness, Mercy, and Creative, Restorative Justice
September 17, 2023, 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Helen Weber-McReynolds, RWCP
Wisdom 27:30-28:7; Ps. 103; Romans 14:7-12; Matthew 18:15-17,21-35
I’d like to start by quoting a recent Facebook post from our wise friend, Tom Nash. Tom said: “We don’t get what we deserve from God. We get so much more.” It was the caption for a photo of Tom holding one of his grandchildren, while sitting beside his daughter. A picture of how we get so much more than we deserve.
I think Tom’s statement really encapsulates the message of these readings: that we are called by God to be merciful and forgiving, just as God is merciful and forgiving to us. Have you ever been humbled by pardon when you’ve made a mistake? Wary of punishment, but then taken aback by receiving blessing instead? That’s how the first servant in the Gospel must have felt. But then unfortunately, he couldn’t find it in himself to pass the mercy on to the next servant. He tried to clutch the forgiveness to himself, and get revenge on the servant who owed him. But mercy cannot be hoarded. It is meaningless unless it is transmitted from one forgiven to the next who needs forgiveness. Mercy is destroyed when withheld.
We know that law and order is the basis of democracy, and that breaking the law must have consequences. But we also know that mercy is essential to constructive judgement. I’m no lawyer, but I’ve been able to observe, as I’m sure you have, that vengeful, abusive judgement is destructive to democracy. While creative, restorative judgment builds people and communities up.
Did you happen to see the front page of this week’s Criterion? There were seven women from the Indiana Women’s Prison pictured in caps and gowns, having earned degrees thru a cooperative program between the Dept of Corrections, Marian Univ., and Notre Dame. The story said that there are 45 more women still pursuing degrees thru this program. Hopefully there will be more graduates next year. To me, this is an example of constructive rehabilitation in the correctional system. This is restorative justice.
This is what we are called to- to stretch ourselves in way that restores people to dignity, including ourselves. When a mistake is made, not to revert to punishment, but to creatively figure out restoration to wholeness. As Paul said in the second reading, not to look down on one another, but to stand up as one with Christ. Not to keep a record of wrongs, as the Sirach reading said, but to remember that our covenant is with the God who does not give us what we deserve, but instead, gives us so much more. Even when Jesus, in the Gospel, said to treat sinners who would not repent as one would treat a pagan or a tax collector, he is not telling us to ostracize those people. All we have to do is remember how Jesus treated pagans and tax collectors. He sat down and talked to them, broke bread with them, included them as followers. The answer is always mercy. Expanding ourselves to love as God loves, to forgive as God forgives us.
So let us reflect on what seventy times seven means in our lives. Where can we be less judgmental, more charitable; less transactional, more restorative? What do you think?
September 17, 2023, 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Helen Weber-McReynolds, RWCP
Wisdom 27:30-28:7; Ps. 103; Romans 14:7-12; Matthew 18:15-17,21-35
I’d like to start by quoting a recent Facebook post from our wise friend, Tom Nash. Tom said: “We don’t get what we deserve from God. We get so much more.” It was the caption for a photo of Tom holding one of his grandchildren, while sitting beside his daughter. A picture of how we get so much more than we deserve.
I think Tom’s statement really encapsulates the message of these readings: that we are called by God to be merciful and forgiving, just as God is merciful and forgiving to us. Have you ever been humbled by pardon when you’ve made a mistake? Wary of punishment, but then taken aback by receiving blessing instead? That’s how the first servant in the Gospel must have felt. But then unfortunately, he couldn’t find it in himself to pass the mercy on to the next servant. He tried to clutch the forgiveness to himself, and get revenge on the servant who owed him. But mercy cannot be hoarded. It is meaningless unless it is transmitted from one forgiven to the next who needs forgiveness. Mercy is destroyed when withheld.
We know that law and order is the basis of democracy, and that breaking the law must have consequences. But we also know that mercy is essential to constructive judgement. I’m no lawyer, but I’ve been able to observe, as I’m sure you have, that vengeful, abusive judgement is destructive to democracy. While creative, restorative judgment builds people and communities up.
Did you happen to see the front page of this week’s Criterion? There were seven women from the Indiana Women’s Prison pictured in caps and gowns, having earned degrees thru a cooperative program between the Dept of Corrections, Marian Univ., and Notre Dame. The story said that there are 45 more women still pursuing degrees thru this program. Hopefully there will be more graduates next year. To me, this is an example of constructive rehabilitation in the correctional system. This is restorative justice.
This is what we are called to- to stretch ourselves in way that restores people to dignity, including ourselves. When a mistake is made, not to revert to punishment, but to creatively figure out restoration to wholeness. As Paul said in the second reading, not to look down on one another, but to stand up as one with Christ. Not to keep a record of wrongs, as the Sirach reading said, but to remember that our covenant is with the God who does not give us what we deserve, but instead, gives us so much more. Even when Jesus, in the Gospel, said to treat sinners who would not repent as one would treat a pagan or a tax collector, he is not telling us to ostracize those people. All we have to do is remember how Jesus treated pagans and tax collectors. He sat down and talked to them, broke bread with them, included them as followers. The answer is always mercy. Expanding ourselves to love as God loves, to forgive as God forgives us.
So let us reflect on what seventy times seven means in our lives. Where can we be less judgmental, more charitable; less transactional, more restorative? What do you think?
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