Archbishop Chaput and The Year of Mercy

Charles Chaput, the archbishop of Philadelphia, has written an article at First Things about The Jubilee Year of Mercy.


He writes:

We should not read Christ’s mercy as a judgment against all judgments. Evil exists. Sin matters. The damage it does can be bitter and not easily undone—adultery being a perfect example. But the story does remind us that, apart from God’s grace, all of us are misshapen by the distorted desires of our hearts. 

The story he is talking about is the encounter between the woman caught in adultery and Jesus.

He later writes:

The Church can be truthful without being merciful, like the scribes who wished to stone the adulteress who violated the Mosaic law. But the Church cannot be merciful without being truthful. And the truth is, we are called to conversion.

And:

Sin’s bonds are strong, and God’s grace often unwinds them slowly. Sometimes, the most important word that another person needs to hear is best whispered gently and patiently. We must be close to those whom we love if we’re to do our part in lifting them up to the fullness of the Gospel. 

His article is well worth reading.