Scripture texts: Matthew 18:21-34, Matthew 5:7
"Blessed (happy) are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
Welcome back. We begin a new term today, but we are continuing in a series of meditations on the beatitudes, which I am framing as Jesus' teachings on happiness.
Of all the beatitudes - blessed are the poor, the hungry, the meek - it is this one that is perhaps most problematic to me. Mercy seems a good thing, so why is it problematic? I will try to explain.
You are all familiar, I am sure, with the image of the "scales of justice" often found in court rooms, depicting a blind-folded goddess holding an old fashioned scale, with mercy on one side and punishment on the other. The courts are to weigh the two, balance them, in rendering judgment.
Jesus' parable on this subject, which we read, complicates the dilemma. On the face of it, it is a parable about mercy. The debtor is called to account, is unable to pay, and begs for an extension. Instead of giving an extension, the king cancels his debt altogether. This is mercy. But then that same debtor encounters someone who owes him only a small sum, and he "put him in prison until he would pay the debt." This is an outrage to us hearers - the one who has just been forgiven a large debt refuses to forgive - or show mercy -- to someone who owes him a very small debt. We draw from this, I expect, the lesson that we who have received forgiveness ought therefore to show it to others. That is the obvious lesson. But the parable goes much further. It describes what happens when the king finds out: "Then the king summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart." (Matthew 18:32-35)
Uh-oh. This is a very troubling passage. Apparently there are limits to mercy. Apparently Jesus was serious when he said "blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Apparently he meant "blessed are the merciful, for they - and only they - will obtain mercy." - Apparently God's mercy does not extend to those who show no mercy?
I should note that many biblical scholars view this ending of the parable as an addition by the early church - who seemed always more comfortable with God's wrath than Jesus did. But there is no consensus. Perhaps Jesus spoke these words, or perhaps the church, speaking in his name, spoke these words. In either case, the notion that God punishes those who fail to show mercy spins us on the heels of paradox: how is it that a merciful God fails to show mercy to those who fail to show mercy?
Now I confess that my thoughts on this subject have been inextricably interconnected with two events this week: the death of Gerald Ford and the execution of Saddam Hussein. Gerald Ford, of course, is known as the man who showed mercy - to Richard Nixon. And Saddam is known as the man who showed no mercy. One is good and one is bad. But my feelings are more complicated than that.
Most of you, of course, know nothing, really, about Gerald Ford. Most of the American population does not remember Richard Nixon. For you, when Dick Cheney said in his eulogy for President Ford that one could do worse than be remembered as a man of forgiveness, you probably nodded your head and said, yes, good thing. But it was not like that. Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon only a few days after taking office, thereby preventing the former President from ever having to officially admit any wrong doing or face any trial or penalties. Dick Cheney was right. It did cost Ford the election - because most of the American population - me included- felt that Nixon received mercy prematurely. He got off Scot free, as we say. Now I know that feeling is not particularly admirable, but many of us had it. Ford came across as a man of all mercy and no punishment. By pardoning Nixon, Ford seemed to white wash the issues.
And then there is Saddam Hussein - arch villain number one in the present American pantheon. According to the reports given to us, Saddam was a man without mercy - a man who was brutal and violent - and who therefore himself deserved no mercy. In popular parlance, he got what he deserved. And I can not agree with this position either. Though I realize that others may disagree, I can not justify capital punishment in any case. But even if I did think capital punishment is sometimes justified, I - and many others - was disturbed and sickened by the way this was carried out. It seems to me as if this is another act of violence which will only lead to more violence. But most of the world - at least most of the American world - dare I say even most of the Christian world - may think that I am wrong.
Mercy. It's a difficult subject. Too much of it seems wrong. Too little of it seems wrong. It's confusing to me. But this much is clear from the teaching of Jesus: those who show mercy shall obtain mercy. Now mercy implies pleading. Mercy is shown when someone asks for it. Lord, have mercy! Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner. In other words, it is shown when someone asks for it. And to ask for it is to admit our need for it. When we have seen our need for forgiveness, and when it has been given to us, we are to show that same mercy to others. By such behavior, the whole world can be redeemed. Without it, there is only hatred, vengeance, and violence. Justice demands that harm be acknowledged. Mercy refuses to meet harm with harm. Without mercy, there really is no hope. Without acknowledgement of guilt, there is no justice.
I received this email this week from a former student. It said:
I have a question, and I thought perhaps you could help me find the answer. What do you think God will do with Saddam Hussein? I saw a piece of an old interview with him last night, and in it he said that his main goal was to please God, and that he believed he was doing that. It reminded me of the 9/11 hijackers. They believed they were doing something that would please God. If a person does something horrible but believes in his heart that he is doing something that will please God, what does God do with that person when he dies?
I hope you can help me with this.
I wonder how you would answer this question. My only answer is a prayer: May God have mercy on us all. Amen.
copyright©2007
Richard R. Crocker
