vincentian reflection on mercy and justice - maher

8/20/2019 Vincentian Reflection on Mercy and Justice - Maher

1/20

A Vincentian Refectionon Mercy and Justice

Founder’s Weekat St. John’s University

September !"

#$%


2/20

&et’s start 'ithWebster’s (ictionaryde)nitions o*+mercy,-1. Forbearance shown to an

ofender or to one underone's power;

2. lenient or compassionate

treatment;3. a blessing, an act o divine

avor or compassion;

. compassionate treatment othose in distress;

Which of these best describeshow people today view mercy?


3/20

Mercy has deepbibica roots.

!n the "ld #estament, $odenters into a covenant omerc% with !srael and renewsit constantl%. !n &odus,(oses encounters a $od )whois gracious and merciful, slow

to anger, and abounds insteadfast love and delity”.*&. 3+-.

!n the ew #estament, /esus is)$od0s merc% in person.

% miracles, acts o healing,teachings, and release romsin and sufering, /esus shows$od0s unlimited compassionor $entiles /ews.

*reebibeima/es.or/


4/20

0e' 1estament23ampes /esus shows us that merc%

4ows rom the heart o $odand is ofered or the good o

all.

Eating with tax collectors &sinners: )/esus said, $o andlearning the meaning o thewords, 5! desire merc%, notsacri6ce.0 ! did not come to call

the righteous, but sinners.*(att+ 7+13-

ultiplication of the loavesand shes+ )/esus, seeing thecrowds o people who ollowedhim, reali8ed that the% were

tired and ehausted, elt deepcompassion or them. *att! 7+3-.

"ealing of a demoniac + )$o

home to %our own people andtell them what the 9ord in his *reebibeima/es.or/


5/20

0o'" et’s ook atWebster’s (ictionaryde)nitions o* Justice.

1. #he impartial aduit%;

. being impartial or air;conorming to a principle orideal

Which of these best describeshow people today view #ustice?


6/20

4n a 5hristianconte3t" Justice has aspeci)c *ocus-

? moral virtue with aconstant, 6rm will to givetheir due to $od neighbor;

@espect or the rights o all;

#o establish harmon% ande>ualit% in humanrelationships;

#o promote the common goodor all. *Aatechism o @AAhurchB1CDE-


7/20

For a 5hristian" 6ustice isreationa- "ld #estament+ )#his is

what the 9ord $od as:s o%ou+ act


8/20

Vincent’s 6ourneyto mercy and

6usticeHincent0s


9/20

Vincent’s 6ourneyto mercy and

6ustice Hincent became a true

)pastor o soulsconverted to Ahrist, read%to serve his peoples0

needs

!n these )arBof places,Hincent learned to bepastor, conessor, andadvocate or the poor

$%he poor suer morefrom a lac' of organi(ationthan from a lac' ofcharity!”


10/20

Vincent 'ent throu/ht'o critica" 7i*e8chan/in/’ moments-1. ?ppointed chaplain o

)galle% slaves. #hese werethe lowest rung oprisoners, terribletreatment, with little hopeo release. Hincent did not


11/20

Vincent’s ideas onM2R59-)!t is a distinctivecharacteristic o $od to bemerciul. 9et us as: $od to

6ll us with Mis pirit omerc% and compassion, sowhoever sees us can sa%,5#here is a person ull omerc%L0 *AA=B Hol. 11, o.3DC-

)$od is well aware o ourwoes and limits. !n hismerc%, he supplies or ourdeects. #hus, act simpl%

and do not become anious.$od0s goodness and merc%will provide whatever weneed. *AA=B Hol. 11, o.127-


12/20

Vincent’s *orayinto JUS1452-

French societ% tiered intoprivileged ro%alt% withman% 5courtesans0ollowed b% a small groupo proessional andwor:ing class people. #hema


13/20

Vincent’s *orayinto JUS1452-

@esponse to such a large,lowerBtiered societ%+atalism or apath%

Fatalism+ 5#his is how it ismeant to be b% thedesign o $od or the willo the Ging.

?path%+ othing we can

do to close the gapbetween classes opeople


14/20

Vincent’sresponse-

"rgani8e, motivatepeople to help the poor,and help them helpthemselves.

)o one is too rich togive, and no one is toopoor to receive

Me ounded two la% andtwo religiousorgani8ations+ theAonraternities o Aharit%and 9adies o Aharit%,and the Aongregation o

the (ission and=aughters o Aharit%

Hincent tried to show

France that povert% wasa condition, not a crime.


15/20

Vincent’sresponse- #he spiritual *pastoral- and

temporal *ph%sical- needso the poor were e>ual inHincent0s e%es

Aore o Hincent0s thought ison


16/20

5haen/es

ometimes, the

challenges to Hincent0sideals o


17/20

Vincent’s repy tothese :uestions-

”)ren*t the poor the a+ictedmembers of the ody of -hrist?

)ren*t they our brothers and

sisters? )nd if priests abandon

them, who will help them? .f there

are any among us who thin' they

are in the - to evangeli(e the poor, but not to alleviate their

suering, to ta'e care of their

spiritual needs but not their

temporal needs, . say that we

have to help and assist them in

every way possible! %o do this isto preach the /ospel by words

and wor's0 it is what 1ur 2ord did

and what we who represent him

on earth should do!

*AA=+ Hol. 12BEEBC-


18/20

So ho' can 'e+&ook 'ith ove;move 'ith mercy,as did St. Vincent<

@e4ect on %oureperiences o $od0smerc% in %our own

lieO where did %ou6nd merc%, and howhas it led %ou to better:now the 9ordP

Mow can %ou ma:e %our

own lie a bettereample o the


19/20

Want anothertan/ibe 'ay to+ook 'ith oveand move 'ithmercy, ike Jesusand Vincent did<

Follow Jope Francis on his tripto ew Qor: and Jhill%B notonl% where he goes, but whathe sa%s and how he sa%s itO

@ead and re4ect on his tal:sO?nd i %ou0re reall% ambitious,

@ead his decree on the

Qear o (erc%+ )(isericordiaeHultus "n Hatican web sitewww.vatican.va

http://www.vatican.va/http://www.vatican.va/


20/20

Motto o* =opeFrancis-iserando at3ueEligendo

Ruote is related to /esus0 call o sinul t(atthew, means

)"aving mercy bychoosing him”

#hat is ultimatel% ourstor%. Ne are chosen b%

$od0s merc% and it ismeant to change ourlives.

vincentian reflection on mercy and justice - maher

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