Choose a topic from Part 3a:
1. Christ, by testimony of scripture (Acts 10:42) isappointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. Now, ajudge must have, in addition to jurisdiction, a zeal for justice;he must be wise; he must know truth. The Son of God is wisdomitself eternally begotten; he is Lord and lover of justice; hencehe has perfect qualifications for the function of a judge. St.Augustine (De Vera Relig. xxxi) says: "The Fatherjudges no man, but has given all judgment to the son." Ofcourse, speaking simply, the judicial power is in the Trinity. Forreasons here indicated, it is appropriated to the Son.
2. Even as man, our Lord has power and right to judge.Scripture says (John 5:27) that the Father "hath given himpower to do judgment because he is the Son of man."
3. The judicial or judiciary power belongs to Christ asman because of his divine personality, the dignity of his headship,and the fullness of his habitual grace. This power also belongs toour Lord by reason of his merit. For he who fought for God'sjustice, and won through to victory, though unjustly condemned,should, by divine justice, now be the judge.
4. Since, as scripture says (John 5:22), "the Fatherhath given all judgment to the Son," it is evident that ourLord is judge with reference to all human affairs.
5. A judgment takes place when a man dies. Scripture says(Heb. 9:27): "It is appointed unto men once to die, and afterthis the judgment." There will be another and generaljudgment when all human lives (and the effects of these lives thatcontinue after the lives themselves are ended) will be perfectlyand publicly judged. This judgment will take place on the last day.And Christ our Lord and God will be the judge.
6. Our Lord will also be judge of the angels. Christ hasthe authority to judge the angels; indeed, he delegates theauthority to the apostles, and St. Paul (I Cor. 6:3) says that theapostles will exercise the delegated authority. In the beginning,Christ as the Word of God judged and sentenced the rebel angels.But there are accidental rewards and punishments to bemeted to good and to bad angels; for these the judicial power isvested in our Lord as God Incarnate.
"It is better to be burdened and in company with the strong than to be unburdened and with the weak. When you are burdened you are close to God, your strength, who abides with the afflicted. When you are relieved of the burden you are close to yourself, your own weakness; for virtue and strength of soul grow and are confirmed in the trials of patience."
St John of the Cross, OCD - Doctor of the Church
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"God gives us some things, as the beginning of faith, even when we do not pray. Other things, such as perseverance, he has only provided for those who pray."
St Augustine
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"Obedience is a short cut to perfection."
St Philip Neri
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