What is Right and Just

What is Right and Just

Friday of the First Week of Lent

Piety

But if the wicked, turning from the wickedness he has committed, does what is right and just, he shall preserve his life; since he has turned away from all the sins that he committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.  Ezekiel 18:27-28

"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill, and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:21-24

Study

With all the references to fiery Gehenna and answering to the Sanhedrin, one could easily mistake today’s reading as a pretty scary message.  However, the underlying theme in all this is positive.  Change is possible no matter how bad we are.  Even if we are Timothy McVeigh-James Earl Ray-Lee Harvey Oswald bad.

Invictus, the poem written by William Ernest Henley in 1875, ends with the words: "I am the master of my fate/I am the captain of my soul."  Indeed, we are.  We can choose to change for the good or the bad.  The temptation to evil probably does not have to work hard to get at the wicked.  Instead, I would imagine Satan working overtime on those with virtue.  Just as the Lord rejoices in the lost being found, so too does Satan rejoice in the found getting lost.

Action

The good news is that of us who are leading a life of evil can repent and turn to the Lord. We can change the direction where we look for happiness. Nothing is an end state. Until the end. 

As the song goes: “You got to change your evil ways.” Take such change one step at a time.