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God’s
merciful way with humankind translates in the second
chances we are patiently given (Wisdom 12:13, 16-19).
The fact is, with God alone rests the ultimate power to
decide between “weeds” and “wheat” (Matthew 13:24-30).
Salvation history heavy with God’s mercy
While
discussing God’s special providence, as borne out by the
exodus experience of Israel, the author of wisdom
digresses to speak of the merciful treatment of sinners
by God. “You overlook the sins of men that they may
repent” (Wisdom 11:23). “Not that you were without power
to have the wicked vanquished in battle by the just, or
wiped out at once by one decisive word . . . but you
gave them space for repentance (12:9-10).
The
writer emphatically points out that there is no other
god who has the care of all; regarding total and
exclusive providence, only the God of Israel exercises
care over all. And no one can challenge God to ask Him,
“What have you done?” No one can come before the Divine
Presence as a vindicator of those punished. For God
governs all things justly and does not punish one who
has not incurred any blame.
God’s
just clemency to be imitated
God’s
omnipotence is tempered by leniency. It is His might
that is the source of justice, justice that means the
righteous are rewarded and the wicked punished. But
precisely because He is almighty and powerful, God can
afford to be lenient and merciful without placing order
in jeopardy. A weaker god would not risk being lenient
without taking chances with what should be rightly
imposed upon unruly people with ingrained malice.
When
God’s power is questioned and disbelieved, God shows His
strength, if only to remind those who are remiss. The
righteous ones trust in the omnipotence of God at work
in the world. The wicked in their temerity do not trust
the Divine Power and are therefore fearful. They are
rebuked for this, for they know Him and yet they defy
Him. This marvel of the all-powerful God judging with
clemency and governing all with leniency is a lesson to
be learned and a pattern to be imitated. God’s people
must similarly regulate their power with leniency and
temper their justice with kindness. It is God’s past
kindness that gives humanity reason to hope for clemency
in the future.
Dealing
with the weeds among the wheat
Like a
wisdom teacher, Jesus, in yet another parable,
metaphorically illustrates an important aspect of the
growth of the kingdom of God here on earth. All farmers
are familiar with the reality that one sows good seed
but weeds grow up along with the crops. This is
naturally disappointing. All the good works put in for
the spread and development of God’s reign here on earth
do not give the perfect yield longed for. The quality of
the result remains painful: There is still, and always,
the bad together with the good.
A vital
point is that life in this world is the time for growth,
not yet the time for the final harvest. Harvest
represents the end of this age, and it is only in the
eschatological reckoning that the final victory will be
manifest. Dismayed field workers might opt for the
immediate purge of the unwanted weeds, but the Owner
displays patience and wisdom. This is not the time for
radical response; let everything grow for now. The
harvest time will come; then is the time for the
definitive exclusion of the bad from among the good.
Alálaong
bagá,
a scandal and stumbling block to decent people is the
presence of sinners in the kingdom of God. Not
surprisingly, good people might honestly believe in
their hearts that there is no room among them for
religious leaders (lay or ordained) who are exposed as
sinners, public officials who have betrayed the people’s
trust, sexual offenders and murderers, etc. Already now,
they consider God’s reign only for the good, or at least
for those who sins are minimal. We are afraid to live
close to sinners, who might contaminate us or victimize
us or soil our own reputation. Paradoxically, when we
ourselves are in the position of having committed
mistakes or grievous offenses, we beg for time and
another chance to do what is correct and to show we are
not that bad. We do not want to be just dumped off as
garbage. Jesus assures us there will be a decisive
separation of the bad from the good, but not now. Now is
the time for everyone to grow, to show what one really
is. No “collateral damage” at human cost and in terms of
eternity is acceptable. Meanwhile, just as God’s own
justice is kind and merciful, slow to anger and
abounding in clemency, our own treatment of each other,
particularly those who are in sin, can only be likewise.
Repentance while we are still in this world is always a
possibility not to be denied.
For more
of my reflections and works, visit my blogsite: http://alalaongbaga.multiply.com. |
