Presence of God

Teach me, O Lord, to love justice and to hate all that is opposed to it.

Meditation

I. When with clever astuteness, the Pharisees asked Jesus if it were lawful to pay tribute to Caesar, He replied : "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God, the things that are God’s" (Mt. 22, 21). By this simple reply, Jesus gave us clearly and precisely a description of the virtue of justice : to give to everyone what is his due. "Justice," says St. Thomas, "is the perpetual, constant will to give to everyone what is due to him" (IIa IIae, q.58, a.i, co.). To God, we give the worship which is due Him as our Creator, Lord, and Father : adoration, honor, glory, gratitude, faithful observance of His laws, and humble, devout service. To our neighbor, we owe respect for his rights, taking into account our various obligations toward him, according to whether He is our superior, equal, or inferior.

Certainly, a soul striving for perfection, cannot be satisfied to remain within the limits of justice; charity will urge it to give and do more. However, justice is always the necessary foundation of charity, without which charity itself could not subsist. Charity toward God can and ought to incite us to do something more than what is strictly prescribed; but this more will not be pleasing to God if it causes us to neglect some duty of obligation. Thus a professional man cannot devote himself to apostolic works to the prejudice of his professional duties, nor can a religious undertake works ofsupererogation, if they prevent him from observing some point of his rule. In the same way, charity toward our neighbor can and should urge us to give alms, but this will not be pleasing to God if it is done with money which rightfully belongs to someone else, as for instance, money which should be used as wages for workmen, or for the paying of debts. A failure in justice—that is, in what is of obligation—cannot be considered an act of charity, either toward God or toward our neighbor. Only by starting from the solid, indispensable foundation of justice, will charity be able to mount to sure and lofty heights.

II. "Thou hast loved justice and hated iniquity; therefore, God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness" (Ps. 44, 8), the Psalmist says in praise of the just man. God gives His joy and peace to the soul which respects justice and fulfills with great exactness all the duties required by it, even at the cost ofsacrifice. Actually, it is not infrequent that respect for the rights of others calls for the sacrifice of our own ease and comfort, and sometimes even our personal interests; but the soul aiming for perfection must be generous at all times and never fail, through selfishness, to fulfill the duty of justice toward its neighbor. One of the things which scandalizes and most antagonizes those in the world is to see pious people who, in their relations with others, have no scruple about failing in justice, who close their eyes to the rights of others when they interfere with their own personal interests. The more we aspire to perfection, the more we should cultivate the virtue of justice, and sincerely detest all that is even slightly opposed to it. Such conduct is a source of peace for ourself and others. "Justice and peace have kissed" (Ps. 84, 11), says Holy Scripture, because peace can reign only where there is justice, whereas all attempts at peace and harmony will be useless where justice is not respected. Our God is the God of peace; who, more than a soul who wishes to live in intimacy with Him, should be the bearer of peace to all? But only if we observe justice will we radiate peace. In fact, it is futile to exhort others to peace ifwe refuse to give to everyone what is his due.

As the observance ofjustice is a fount of peace and joy for our own conscience, so it also brings peace and joy to our family, to our community, to each person with whom we come in contact in our daily life, and to society in general.

Colloquy

"O justice, thou art the precious pearl which makes the soul shine brightly; thou givest peace and light to creatures; thou keepest them in holy fear and dost unite their hearts. If thy light failest, we are immediately plunged into confusion and surrounded by the darkness of injustice" (St. Catherine of Siena).

O God, Thou alone can infuse true justice in me, for Thou alone art infinite Justice, "Thou who art just in all Thy ways and holy in all Thy works" (Ps. 144, 17).

"Thou art just, O Lord : and all Thy judgments are right. Justice and fidelity are in Thy testimonies. Thy justice is justice forever; Thy law is an eternal law. Give me understanding ofThy commandments, and I will live by them. Teach me to keep Thy law and to observe it with all my heart. Lead me by the paths of Thy laws, for they are my delight. Incline my heart to Thy precepts, and not to the love ofmoney. Teach me to love justice and to hate iniquity, that I may enjoy Thy blessings for all eternity" (cf. Ps. 118, 44).