Now is the time of God's mercy. But if we do not embrace the mercy of God, which is the grace of repentance and living in his divine life, then at death we will experience the justice of God. What is that justice? God will give us that which is due to us. If at death we are not in union with God because of our sins, then in eternity we will not be in union with God. On the other hand, if at death we are in union with God by his grace of mercy, then his mercy will welcome us into his eternal presence. We deserve justice. We are blessed with mercy. Jesus became our justification. He took our sins upon himself so that we could share in his divine life.

St. Paul tells us in Ephesians: "You were dead in your transgressions and sins in which you once lived following the age of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the disobedient.  All of us once lived among them in the desires of our flesh, following the wishes of the flesh and the impulses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest." This was our state before the coming of Jesus. But Paul continues: "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ." Lord, thank you for sparing us your justice and gifting us with your unconditional mercy.