Justice and Mercy

 Deuteronomy 24:1-25:4

14 You are not to exploit the hired servant who is poor and destitute, whether he is one of your brothers or a stranger who lives in your towns. 

15 You must pay him his wage each day, not allowing the sun to set before you do, for he is poor and is anxious for it; otherwise he may appeal to the Lord against you, and it would be a sin for you.

19 When reaping the harvest in your field, if you have overlooked a sheaf in that field, do not go back for it. Leave it for the stranger, the orphan and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings.

20 When you beat your olive trees you must not go over the branches twice. Let anything left be for the stranger, the orphan and the widow.

21 When you harvest your vineyard you must not pick it over a second time. Let anything left be for the stranger, the orphan and the widow.

22 Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt. That is why I lay this charge on you.

"The merciful need not fear judgment"

Talk and behave like people who are going to be judged by the law of freedom, because there will be judgement without mercy for those who have not been merciful themselves; but the merciful need have no fear of judgement. 

你們既然按照那使人自由的法律 受審判，就該照這法律說話行 事，因爲審判時對那不行憐憫的人，也不予憐憫；憐憫人的不怕 審判。

 Sic loquímini et sic fácite sicut per legem libertátis iudicándi. Iudícium enim sine misericórdia illi, qui non fecit misericórdiam; superexúltat misericórdia iudício.

 --James 2:12-13

FASTING IS WORTH MORE WITH MERCY

Fasting bears no fruit unless it is watered by mercy. Fasting dries up when mercy dries up. Mercy is to fasting as rain is to earth. However much you may cultivate your heart, clear the soil of your nature, root out vices, sow virtues, if you do not release the springs of mercy, your fasting will bear no fruit.

--St Peter Chrysologus