‘What would justice be without mercy? Allied with the darkness of cruelty, it would be injustice rather than justice’ (Saint Catherine of Siena).
Saint Catherine of Siena makes a plea here in favour of mercy. Indeed, in situations such as war, there is a great temptation to go beyond the limits of justice, to let oneself be carried away by the evil inclinations that dwell in the human heart, so that cruelty allies itself with justice, distorting it and making it terrifying.
This is not the case with our Father. There are no such inclinations in Him. God takes no perverse pleasure in seeing a person suffer. That is why we can trust His justice without reservation, and if we sincerely strive to do His will, we have no reason to fear it.
The combination of justice and mercy has the wonderful taste of truth. Here we encounter the Majesty of God, which we already long to enjoy in eternity. It has that wonderful nobility that we sometimes find reflected in certain people.
This radiance of justice and mercy must be part of the Church’s proclamation in a healthy balance. If the focus is too much on justice, it can become harsh and frighten people. If mercy is overemphasised, the call to conversion will lose its seriousness.
If we follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit in sincere imitation of the Lord, the plea we address to Him in the Pentecost Sequence may become a reality: “Melt the frozen, warm the chill.” He will help us not to add harshness to justice and not to give way to any cruelty.