JUSTICE FILES

JUSTICE FILES – 33rd Week Ordinary Time, Year B

            The Justice Files said that every police station has hundreds and thousands of files on people wanted for different kinds of crimes, but not enough people to pursue them. People get away with murders, robberies, assaults, and crimes of all sorts, and are not brought to justice.

            And what about all the serious spiritual sins people commit in thought, word, and deed against all the Commandments, and never repent of, confess, or do reparation for, or are not called to justice? The files on these would make the justice files of unsolved or unpursued criminals look like nothing in comparison. What if the Church called people to stand trial for violating the Commandments in serious ways? And of course life is filled with injustices of all kinds. The Church does have a Tribunal of mercy, the Sacrament of Penance – Reconciliation - Confession. All who turn themselves in, confess their sins, and make amends are set free by the mercy and forgiveness of God, and are no longer imprisoned in their persons by their consciences. It’s clearly the most merciful justice system in the world!

            The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us Jesus makes God’s mercy available to us. Jesus “offered one sacrifice for sins…” It’s clear many sins and injustices go unpunished in this life for years, and many have to wait for eternity. The balance of justice will happen in this life or in the life to come. It’s part of the great struggle between the forces of good and evil, Christ’s Kingdom and Satan’s kingdom.

            The prophet Daniel spoke of the end of the battle between Michael the Archangel and Satan the fallen angel. Michael led the battle in heaven which drove Satan out of heaven. Satan took up the battle against God by attacking humans. At the end there will be a final great battle. “At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince, guardian of your people; it shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since the nations began until that time. At that time your people shall escape, everyone who is written in the book.”

            All injustices will be set straight. “Many who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall live forever, others shall be in everlasting horror and disgrace.” It’s important to trust in the Lord in the midst of unresolved injustices, and seek to avoid carrying out injustices. “Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.” Injustices, lack of balance in human life, trials of every sort will be present until the end of time. Jesus’ end time teaching tells us that. “In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.”

            The Risen Lord will come again to complete the saving work of His Death and Resurrection. The Risen Lord is already present in the Person of the Holy Spirit. While the signs of the end times are present in all ages, the time of the end time events has not been revealed. The signs are to keep us alert and prepared to meet the Lord. “But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

            Our personal end time events are to be kept in mind and prepared for. We will meet the Lord in death. If we have not confronted any serious sin in our life, or are still attached to sin, that will have to be worked out in Purgatory, the state of purification from all sin. If we have suffered injustices in the living of our faith, that will be more than compensated for. The Lord has the final victory in human life. All injustices not resolved in this life, will be in eternity. We need to constantly correct our course in whatever ways needed, staying in a state of continuous conversion to Christ.

            We help ourselves by recognizing trials as graces, as part of the struggle of human life that we are called to in Christ to overcome and grow in by God’s grace, mercy and love. They are means of purifying us of sin. By accepting and responding to them in good ways, we lessen our Purgatory. For we have to be purified of all sin before we enter the fullness of heaven where there is no kind of sin.

            The Lord supports us by His mercies and graces, wanting us to be prepared!