Getting what you deserve?

[AngelRose81]

My co-workers and I were having a discussion about people getting what they deserve here on earth (as well as either in Heaven or Hell)? And they posed this question to me (they are all not Catholic, and I am) and I didn’t really know how to answer it…

Do people get what they deserve (i.e. mean people get treated mean right back) here on earth before they die?

and also

Does anyone do anything or act in any certain way as to merit someone getting revenge on them or causing them to “get what they deserve”?

and finally

If someone thought someone deserved a certain kind of treatment and they in turn gave them that treatment (i.e. they were mean to them right back), what would happen to the person who was getting revenge?

Thanks for any (name removed by moderator)ut…I was unsure what we as Catholics would say about this and I told them I would ask and get back to them so we could finish our discussion. My first inkling was that everyone will get whats coming to them at the judgement and that we should always treat others with love and respect no matter what they do to us or someone else, but I wasn’t sure.

Thanks again!

 

[ThyKingdomCome]

Well, first, I’d clarify that even people who live saintly lives don’t DESERVE Heaven - it is purely a gift from God that we are able to enjoy that reward.

Second, I’d agree with you that it is after death that God judges us and decides what we “deserve.” I do think that there are a certain amount of natural consequences that might result from bad behavior - so in that respect, you might say that some bad people do get “what they deserve” in life. But of course, that doesn’t always happen, and Jesus does not promise us happiness or fairness in this life.

The other thing to keep in mind is that we are told to love our neighbors, love our enemies, not cast the first stone, etc… It is clear from a Christian standpoint, that it is not our place to cast judgement and decide what people deserve. So not only would we be acting against Jesus’ orders to love our enemies, but we’d also be judging ourselves to be equal to God, to be able to make those judgements against other people. That would be the capital sin of pride.

A caveat - I am not talking about law enforcement, or protecting society, judges assigning punishments, etc… but bad behavior in our usual circles and how we deal with these folks in our personal lives. I’m also not talking about using forceful methods to get a person to stop behaving a certain way - that isn’t revenge or giving them what they deserve, that is affecting behavior. I’m only adding this caveat, because I know if I were having this conversation IRL with some people I know, it would certainly end up there.

 

[quiet52]

My co-workers and I were having a discussion about people getting what they deserve here on earth (as well as either in Heaven or Hell)? And they posed this question to me (they are all not Catholic, and I am) and I didn’t really know how to answer it…

Do people get what they deserve (i.e. mean people get treated mean right back) here on earth before they die?

and also

Does anyone do anything or act in any certain way as to merit someone getting revenge on them or causing them to “get what they deserve”?

and finally

If someone thought someone deserved a certain kind of treatment and they in turn gave them that treatment (i.e. they were mean to them right back), what would happen to the person who was getting revenge?

Thanks for any (name removed by moderator)ut…I was unsure what we as Catholics would say about this and I told them I would ask and get back to them so we could finish our discussion. My first inkling was that everyone will get whats coming to them at the judgement and that we should always treat others with love and respect no matter what they do to us or someone else, but I wasn’t sure.

Thanks again!

You are right – revenge is an act of hatred, not of love.

Did Jesus “deserve” to be suffer and to die? No – and He tells us to love one another as we love Him. On the cross, He said to the Father, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” In the Lord’s Prayer, we are taught ask for God’s forgiveness “as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We are to pray for our enemies and to forgive them.

 

[AngelRose81]

Thanks for your answers. I’m glad I was thinking along the right lines!