“Love cannot be love if it doesn’t get angry with evil. God cannot be truly merciful if He cannot be just.” – Jocelyn Soriano
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had. They cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” – Revelations 6:9-10, WEB-B=E
We should never presume so quickly that our anger is just, for we often get angry for all the wrong reasons. We are also prone to exaggerating both the wrongs done to us and the punishment that our transgressors deserve.
But there is an anger that is just, an anger that seeks for God’s mercy and for God’s vengeance. There is an anger that is lit by a true thirst for justice and for virtue. There is such an anger that is almost like a prayer. It ascends towards heaven and reaches the ears of God.
“You shall not take advantage of any widow or fatherless child. If you take advantage of them at all, and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry; and my wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
“If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor. You shall not charge him interest. If you take your neighbour’s garment as collateral, you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What would he sleep in? It will happen, when he cries to me, that I will hear, for I am gracious.
-Exodus 22:22-27, WEB-BE
God of my praise, don’t remain silent,
for they have opened the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit against me.
They have spoken to me with a lying tongue.
They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
and fought against me without a cause.
In return for my love, they are my adversaries;
but I am in prayer.
They have rewarded me evil for good,
and hatred for my love.
Set a wicked man over him.
Let an adversary stand at his right hand.
When he is judged, let him come out guilty.
Let his prayer be turned into sin.
…
because he didn’t remember to show kindness,
but persecuted the poor and needy man,
the broken in heart, to kill them.
-Psalm 109:1-7,16 WEB-BE
Check Jocelyn's books:
"Of Waves and Butterflies: Poems on Grief", "Mend My Broken Heart", "Questions to God", "To Love an Invisible God", "Defending My Catholic Faith", and more - click here.
(You may freely quote excerpts from this website as long as due credit is given to author Jocelyn Soriano and the website itakeoffthemask.com)