Aching Mankind
“God’s mercy endures forever.”
Last week I wrote a post discussing the idea that there is a limit to God’s patience with the sins of men - examples in scripture attest to that. Nevertheless it can be a very disconcerting thought for people genuinely concerned for their salvation - or the salvation of loved ones. What is necessary is for the soul to have confidence in God’s mercy, and as St. Benedict and other saints have often repeated, “NEVER despair of God’s mercy.” As the Psalmist says, “His mercy endures forever.” No sin is so great that his mercy is not greater still.
Divine Mercy.
In his revelations on the Divine Mercy to St. Faustina, our Lord is very clear about these matters. I will post a few things he had to say about his unfathomable mercy below. The excerpts are from the saint’s diary, so I’ll note the paragraph in case you would like to reference the context of the quote.
1588 - I do not want to punish aching mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to my Merciful Heart. I use punishment when they themselves force me to do so; my hand is reluctant to take hold of the sword of justice. Before the Day of Justice I am sending the Day of Mercy.
998 - I am giving mankind the last hope of salvation; that is, recourse to my mercy.
1146 (39) - Let the greatest sinners place their trust in my mercy. They have the right before others to trust in the abyss of my mercy. My daughter, write about my mercy towards tormented souls. Souls that make an appeal to my mercy delight me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to my compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in my unfathomable and inscrutable mercy. Write: before I come as just Judge, I first open wide the door of my mercy. He who refuses to pass through the door of my mercy must pass through the door of my justice…
August 18th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Terry, how do you justify attributing patience, literally, to God?
Does God really have that human attribute, in your opinion, or is this a way of projecting ourselves onto God, to make God more easily comprehended?
IE, we know that no one is LITERALLY sitting at “God’s right hand,” because God doesn’t have hands. We do.
August 18th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Beautiful. Off to my brothers e-mail box. Thank you Terry.
August 18th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Thom - I don’t. However, both St. Paul and St. Peter refer to God’s patience as an invitation to repentance: Romans 2: 4, and 2 Peter 3: 9.
August 18th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Thom - I also found this from Tertullian:
“patience is God’s nature.”
It is from Tertullian’s treatise, “On Patience” go here if you are interested:
http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0325.htm
Sorry, I’m not very sophisticated when it come to theological debate.
God bless you brother.
August 18th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Oh Terry, I had no interest in debate. I just wondered what your thoughts are.
August 18th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
I love St. Faustina’s diary.
I would say about patience that it is a divine attribute, which we humans imitate imperfectly.
August 18th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Very good Thomas - I am not good at debate, which is why I often do not respond to challenging comments.
August 18th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Oh no Mr.Thom. God doesn’t’ have hands?? Oh my stars! How then is he gonna pick me up to kiss my face when I greet him in heaven ? Not to mention all of those spankings that I need. Hum??
I always tell my children in jest that I wonder if God burned his hands when he made the sun.
You are throwing my brain a curve ball. I am so happy in my box. You are stretching my brain.
When I am sad ,worried depressed ,suffering from emotional distress, or anxious about anything at all. I imagine that I have a special spot (not unlike my new cat) under Gods throne chair.I have a blanket, my favorite pillow,and I hang out ,and talk to him.( Sometimes I talk to him about some really cool viewmaster reel that he had sent to me. Or funny people like you
While he sits there I hold onto his leg ,hiding where no one else can see me, and think about how much I love him. Sometimes I see from under the chair people come ,and go ,but I usually pull like a curtain from around the base of the chair so that I give them privacy ,but I never let go of his leg. Like a small child hanging onto a parent. I always feel renewed ,and loved even if it is all pretend. This is how I cope with life. Um ,and ocassionally (often)Icecream.
Even though I am a bit crazy , I am safe to be around.
Now I suppose God doesn’t have a LEG either??
Hey don’t bust my bubble!
August 18th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
I have an artist brain . I think weird.
August 18th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Amen.
August 19th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Whoa ,thanks Mr.Leo ,
I get to hang on to his leg! Even though his heart is my favorite part.
A metaphor is not worth dying ,or sacrificing for either. It would also make me entirely delusional, in love with a idea of what I think God might be.
Now don’t tell Mr. Thom what Jesus said about our home in heaven. I am expecting a real house ,and in YOUR neighborhood.
Glad that’s over. I am ready for Terry’s next brain teaser, they are more fun than the sudoku games, or the crossword puzzles. Oh I suck at those too.
I wish that I was as smart as you folks are. Seriously I struggle with your quizzies.
August 19th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Thanks for this post. This is my favorite Divine Mercy image.