The Good and Just One

"Praise to the Just One who rules with His grace; He is the Good One who never draws in the limits of His goodness; Even to the wicked He stretches forth his compassion. His divine cloud hovers over all that is His; it drips dew even on that fire of punishment so that, of His mercy, it enables even the embittered to taste the drops of its refreshment" ~ St. Ephrem the Syrian (pictured) This quotation comes from Hymn #10 of St. Ephrem's Hymns on Paradise and I was reminded of the following passage from St. Matthew's Gospel: "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." ~Matthew 5:44-45 I am challenged by these words of Jesus and hope that all Christians are. Too often we operate from the perspective of those who do not know Jesus. It goes something like this: "You be nice to me and I'll be nice to you"; "You give some, I'll give some"; "If you anger me or hurt me or wrong me then I am freed from any obligation to show kindness to you or to desire your good will." But that is simply not the truth. Not according to Jesus. No, instead we are to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us and remember that God loves them and desires to show mercy to them, just as he has shown his great love and mercy to us. We were all once enemies of God. St. Ephrem reminds us that God is both Just and Good. On the cross, as Jesus was crucified we see his justice and goodness married in the most gruesome and beautiful way. When we find ourselves feeling bitterness and resentment and wishing ill towards those who get under our skin, let us remember the words of Jesus and the work that he has accomplished on the cross on our behalf. Glory to you Lord Christ, Glory to you!