The Unauthorized Homily

By Bill Dunn

A commentary on the Scripture readings from the Sunday Lectionary

(Scripture readings for Sunday, April 26th: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19; 1 John 2:1-5; Luke 24:35-48)

GOD IS NOT AN IMPARTIAL JUDGE

Sometimes guilty people do not have to pay the penalty for their crimes. Even though they did it and they know they did it, often there is not enough clear evidence to obtain a conviction in a court of law. Other times the evidence is clear, but it was obtained improperly and thus not permitted during the trial. And once in a while the jury decides to make a political or social statement and declares the defendant not guilty despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. (That reminds me: How will O.J. be able to find the “real killers” now that he’s locked up because of his little guns-and-sports-memorabilia fiasco in Las Vegas? He promised to spend the rest of his life searching for Nicole’s and Ron’s murderers.)

In these cases, when a guilty person essentially “gets away with it,” his or her heart has nothing to do with the decision. When a person who actually committed a crime is found not guilty in court, it is because of legal technicalities or the high standard of proving guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Whether the accused is genuinely upset and remorseful about his actions, or whether he gloats in private to his friends about “beating the system”—all the while plotting the next crime—has nothing to do with it.

This is because in a court of law, the goal is to make decisions impartially, based on the facts of the case rather than the emotions and feelings of the people involved. And in a secular court setting, this is a good thing. It’s not a perfect system, but it’s the best that mankind has developed.

However, the situation is quite different in God’s court. In all three readings this week, we find the same theme: repentance and forgiveness. In the first reading, from the book of Acts, St. Peter is giving a sermon. He tells the crowd, “Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.”

In the second reading, from his first epistle, St. John writes, “But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ….He is the expiation for our sins.” John explains that Jesus’ death on the cross was an atoning sacrifice which paid the price for our sins, and if we repent and ask for forgiveness, we can be declared, in effect, “not guilty.”

Finally, in the gospel reading, Jesus is talking with his disciples shortly after the Resurrection. He explains that all the remarkable events they recently witnessed were foretold in Scriptures many years before: “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations.”

When it comes to God’s court, the evidence is overwhelming: we did it; we committed the crime; we are sinful. Romans 6:23 could not be any clearer: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” All the evidence against us cannot be thrown out of court since it was obtained properly. In fact, God was an eyewitness to every sinful thought, word, and deed. So, we deserve to be found guilty and sentenced to the harshest penalty.

Imagine a man is charged with a crime and goes on trial in a secular court. But when he gets to court, it turns out the judge is his father, and the prosecuting attorney is his brother. Obviously this would not be allowed to happen. The judge and prosecutor would have to recuse themselves from the case, and the trial would be handled by impartial people.

But something like this does happen in God’s court. We’re charged with a crime, the crime of being sinful, and we must appear before the judge. When we get there, it turns out the judge is our Heavenly Father, who created us and loves us. And the prosecuting attorney is our brother, Jesus, who promptly ignores the role of prosecutor and spends His time being our defense attorney.

In God’s court, our hearts are more important than the cold hard facts of the case. If we are truly sorry for our sins and sincerely ask for forgiveness, all that damning evidence is set aside. God pounds the gavel and declares, “I find the defendant not guilty. Case dismissed.”

Secular law is a contract: we agree to obey the law, and in return society agrees not to throw us in jail. It is quite impersonal. God’s law is a covenant: He wants us to enter into a loving relationship with Him. It is VERY personal. This is why the heart is more important than legal evidence in God’s court.

Normally when we hear of an obviously guilty person being declared innocent in a courtroom, we become indignant. “That’s not fair!” we exclaim. “The fix was in!”

God’s court doesn’t even pretend to be fair. It is blatantly unfair. People who are obviously guilty are routinely set free. The fix most definitely is in. That’s the way it is with love. Those bloody scars on Jesus’ hands, feet, and side are the “fix.”

Instead of becoming indignant, we should thank God that His court is not fair. Otherwise, we’d ALL be found guilty. We should repent and receive God’s forgiveness. We should enter into a relationship with Him and revel in His love.

©2009