Msgr. Pope on the Balnce between God's Justice and Mercy

"One of the signs of orthodoxy is the ability to hold competing truths in tension, realizing that they are there to balance each other. For example, on the one hand God is sovereign and omnipotent, but on the other we are free to say no to Him. Both of these are taught in Scripture. Our freedom mysteriously interacts with God's sovereignty and omnipotence, but how?. 

"Heresy will not abide any tension and so it selects one truth while discarding others meant to balance or complete it. For example, is God punitive, or forgiving; is he insistent or patient? Too often we focus on one while downplaying or dropping the other. In some eras, the notion of a harsh, strict God was so emphasized that His mercy was all but lost. Today, the tendency is to stress His mercy and kindness while nearly dismissing His role as the sovereign Judge who will set things right by upholding the just and punishing the wicked. . . ."

In a recent commentary using recent reading from the Letter to the Hebrews, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on how the passage shows balance between God's justice and His mercy and on how both are necessary.

To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: God’s Mercy and Justice - Balance or Bust! (30 JAN 19)