Psalm Reflection: The Second Sunday of Advent - Cycle A

“Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.” - Psalm 72

If we were to do a little word association, and you were to think of the first word that came to mind when I said, “justice,” I doubt the word most of us would think of would be “peace.”

The principles of justice are supposed to be to keep peace and enforce the law, but often justice happens in the context of pain, suffering and loss, and issuing sentences which then separate families and change the trajectories of lives forever. Don’t get me wrong, we need the law and our justice system, but I cannot deny the brokenness and imperfections we have all seen as the result of it being less than perfect. 

I think a story that illustrates a proper understanding of justice and peace comes from Peter Kreeft in Food for the Soul: Reflections on the Mass Readings (Cycle A) that goes something like this:

A judge is hearing a case of a young man for reckless driving. The young man is clearly guilty and there is more than enough evidence to convict him. The judge finds him guilty and orders the standard fine of $10,000. The young man explains that he has no money and cannot pay the fine. The judge steps down from the bench and pays the fine himself, because the young man is his son.

That is justice and peace. Justice demands that fairness be shown, and, as St. Paul writes: “There is no partiality with God” (Romans 2:11). Sins have consequences and those consequences must be paid. However, God loves us and knows that we cannot possibly pay the debt that we owe. He does not change the judgment, but He pays the debt in our place so that justice can be upheld, but we can also be free and have peace.

That is the Gospel message: the Good News. Jesus Christ came to die for our sins so we could be reconciled to God and have freedom over sin and death: “But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

We cannot understand how good the Good News is unless we understand how bad the bad news is. We need justice and judgment because it is right and good, but also because it helps us see how awful things would be without God. When we understand how hopeless a life of sin and death is (Romans 6:23), we can then more deeply appreciate the magnitude of what Jesus did for us.

This week, pray that God would convict you of your sin. Pray that you would be able to see more clearly how your sin affects you and those around you. This is not to cause a guilt trip or make you feel awful, but to help you to see how much you need Jesus. So, do not stay in that place of conviction, but let go and repent of your sins. Be reconciled with God in prayer and confession. Let this Advent season be an opportunity for a fresh start and a renewed appreciation for what God has done for you.

I am praying for you, please pray for me, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt