Justice

What is Justice?

Justice is not simply about doing what is right, but also about being a righteous person. It involves the integrity of a person, shaping how they speak, act and think, being an essential foundation of peace, not only in society but also in one’s life. 

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, justice is defined as “the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give one's due to God and neighbour”. It directs a person’s heart to always give what is due, not only when it feels easy or convenient to do so.

Justice towards God is recognising what is due to Him as our creator. In Mass, we pray, “It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks.” We are called to give to God what He deserves as the ultimate authority, through worship and sacrifice in our lives. When we do not turn to Him in prayer, we are telling Him that we do not need Him. 

Justice towards God

When life becomes routine, I often take for granted the many blessings God has given to me, especially through the love I receive so generously from my family, from my friends and community in school. When we feel entitled to have the things in our life and even feel greedy to have more, it prevents us from recognising God's providence, and returning the love that He's shown us in gratitude. Sometimes, we end up seeking the gifts that the Lord can give to us and not the Giver himself. When we choose to compare what we have to others, we end up thinking that we deserve more, choosing not to honor God for all that He has already done for us. 

In St Ignatius of Loyola’s prayer, he prays; 

"Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding,

and my entire will, all I have and call my own. You have given all to me.

To you, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will.

Give me only your love and your grace, that is enough for me." 

Cultivating this virtue of justice requires us honouring Him through practicing gratitude habitually. However, this also requires discipline to cultivate this outward disposition of our love for the Lord,  prioritising prayer no matter how busy and tired we are. Sometimes, we struggle to bring ourselves to God when we feel like life is not going the way that we have planned for it to be. However, we are called to surrender ourselves to Him, remembering that faith is not defined by feelings and that He has a greater plan for us. 

Through my daily Examen, I ask the Lord to allow me to see my day through Him, recognising the little ways that He has provided and shown up in my day. This allows me to give Him due praise as I recognise how He moves so tangibly in my life. Furthermore, we are called to submit more of ourselves to the Lord through sacrifice, to not be overly attached to our worldly idols or possessions, remembering that our lives are made by Him and for Him only.

Justice towards Our Neighbour

We are also called to give justice to our neighbours by honouring each other’s belovedness, recognising that we are all God’s children, made in His image. Everyone is intentionally and uniquely created but none created more important or greater than the other. 

In Matthew 7:12, Jesus says that the golden rule is that “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” 

Even as we take on this disposition, we are not meant to be calculative and transactional in the way we treat people. As I pray about this verse, it is not merely acting out of the bare minimum that we hope to receive from others, but choosing to be generous in treating every person with dignity, loving and not counting the cost just as Jesus did, especially even when it is challenging to lay down my pride and when what I do may not be reciprocated. 

When I see someone in need of help, I try to be prompt in offering whatever I can, instead of letting self-consciousness take over and only waiting for my conscience to probe me to help. This allows me to grow in generosity, to not be calculative even in thinking about what I owe others, but to simply give without measure.

Avoiding Gossip

Humility helps us to recognise our own brokenness. When we catch ourselves being quick to judge, in our thoughts of other people especially when we do not know their entire situation, these can be opportunities for us to grow in being just in our thoughts and actions. As we grow in righteousness and integrity, we are also able to recognise the importance of being truthful, avoiding acts of dishonesty and gossip even if it is easier to stay silent.

Our Responsibility

A righteous person is outward-looking, prioritising the good of society as a whole and does not only think of themselves. We are called to be responsible stewards of all that has been entrusted to us by the Lord, including the people we have been gifted to have in our lives. When we recognise that all that is given to us comes from our Master in heaven and that we belong to Him, we value and treat everyone with dignity.

Conclusion

We can exercise the virtue of justice through being intentional in our daily choices to reflect Christ’s light in our lives. Through prayer and guidance by the Holy Spirit, we are able to live more authentically, choosing to see Christ in every person, acting promptly without doubting our right intentions. When we choose to live with a disposition of honouring God and others in our lives, we are able to grow in love and communion with our Creator and His Church.

Reflection Questions

• Do I express gratitude to God and to others frequently?

• What do I struggle with in refraining from dishonesty and gossip?

• What is one step I want to take to cultivate a disposition of justice to God and others in my life?