“if you have love for one another”
What is Justice? “Justice is the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give there due to God and neighbor.”[i] “It is a habitual inclination of the will and therefore always recognizes each one’s rights, under any and all circumstances.”[ii] Justice is also one of the four cardinal virtues.
What is a cardinal virtue? The “Four virtues play a pivotal role and accordingly are called ‘cardinal’; all the others are grouped around them. They are: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.”[iii]“Each of the cardinal virtues has subjective, potential, and integral parts. The subjective parts are such acts and dispositions of soul as are necessary for the full possession of that virtue, as foresight is needed for prudence and patience for fortitude. The potential parts are virtues related to the cardinal virtue but yet distinct from it, as truthfulness is a potential part of justice. The integral parts are species of a cardinal virtue, as chastity is a species of temperance.”[iv]
What “circumstances”? “The rights in question are whatever belongs to a person as an individual who is distinct from the one who practices justice.”[v] Basically Justice does not mean we treat everyone “equally”; We show justice to each person individually. For example, if we treated a petty thief who stole food from the store, the same as a murderer that would be unjust. Yes, both are criminals, but we would not expect for a person to receive the death penalty or life in prison for stealing a loaf of bread. Justice can be applied to each case. Another example Yes, sin is sin, but there can be various degrees of sin. With this in mind we have to realize we treat everyone different with Justice, but we give everyone charity equally.
How is the difference between justice and charity? “The essence of justice, then, as compared with charity, consists in the distinction between a person and his or her neighbor; whereas charity is based on the union existing between the one who loves and the person loved so that the practice of charity regards the neighbor as another self.”[vi]
What would happen if we did not have Justice? “Without it, living together would be impossible. Society, family life and the world of business would cease to be human; they would become situations where men trod other men underfoot.”[vii]
How do we be just to people? “Let each of us begin by ourselves being just on three different planes: with those with whom we come into contact each day, with those who depend upon us, and by contributing to our society as we ought.”[viii] In other words, we start at home in the domestic Church. Then, we move out to the people we are contact every day (co-workers, students, teachers, bosses, employees, staff, customers, workers, etc.). Finally we reach out to the people in our society, especially the people who are misfortunate.
St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that the more we practice justice, the more we are moved to give “an established and unhesitating will to give to every man his due.”[ix]
“Our faith urges us on because the need for justice in the world is great indeed.” What injustices do you see in the world today?
“The good things of the earth, monopolized by a handful of people; the culture of the world, confined to cliques. And, on the outside, hunger for bread and education. Human lives – holy, because they come from God – treated as mere things, as statistics. I understand and share this impatience. It moves me to look at Christ, who is continually inviting us to put his new commandment of love into practice. All the circumstances in which life places us bring a new message, asking us to respond with love and service to others.”[x]
What does a “just person” look like? “The just person, in the fullest meaning of the term, is one who generates everywhere an atmosphere of cheerfulness and love, and, at the same time, who does not compromise with injustice.”[xi] Are we hasty with judgments against people or institutions? Are we just in our workplace, with our friends, or our homes? Do we treat everyone justly?Why or why not?
What motivates us to practice Justice? It is in the love of Jesus Christ. The more we wish to be close with our Lord and to love and serve Him, the more we will be committed to justice. Our faith as a Christian wills us to see Jesus in every person, and more importantly to see our neighbor as Jesus Christ Himself. “Only with the light of faith can we appreciate what is at stake in the justice or injustice of our actions: it is a matter of accepting or of rejecting Jesus Christ himself.”[xii]
Who needs justice? All of us need justice, but in a particular way those who are poor in spiritual and/or material. The Church has always had and always will have a heart of justice towards those who are suffering and in need.
[i] CCC 1807
[ii] Hardon, Modern Catholic Dictionary, 301
[iii] CCC 1805
[iv] Hardon, Modern Catholic Dictionary, 83
[v] Hardon, Modern Catholic Dictionary, 301
[vi] Hardon, Modern Catholic Dictionary, 301
[vii] Hernandez, In Conversation with God, 2, 75.1
[viii] Hernandez, In Conversation with God, 2, 75.1
[ix] St. Thomas, Summa Theologiae, II-II, 58,1
[x] J. Escriva, Christ is passing by, 110
[xi] Hernandez, In Conversation with God, 2, 75.2
[xii] P. Rodrigues, Faith and Life of Faith, Pamplona