I was pleased this morning to read in Morning Prayer the selection from St. James. It followed nicely the reflection of yesterday regarding justice and mercy. Here it is:
“Speak and act like people that must be judged according to the law of freedom, for judgment will be without mercy to those who have not shown mercy; mercy, however, is always the better in judgment.” — James 2: 12-13
Here St. James again mentions the “law of freedom.” Until I began to study moral theology in earnest, I never really understood what that meant. But as we mentioned yesterday, the law of freedom is the living of the beatitudes, the kingdom of God as proclaimed by Jesus Christ which frees us from the old Mosaic law, and obliges us to orient ourselves toward excellence and the freedom to pursue it. The law of freedom is the fulfillment of the law. It is the law of love and mercy.
Let us live in mercy to all who have harmed us or acted unjustly toward us. Mercy grounded in just living, giving everyone what is rightfully theirs, not taking or coveting or stealing or defaming others. Let us strive for peace.
