“Justice includes Forgiveness” “Advocates of Peace”

Red Mass, Oct. 8, 2004

By Bishop John T. Steinbock

Justice and Peace are closely related. You cannot have one in the absence of the other. Justice and Peace come from right relationships between people. This is the work of lawyers, judges, and of all governmental leaders—to work and struggle for those right relationships, often in very difficult and complex situations. To discern what is necessary for those right relationships, Wisdom is also needed, wisdom to discern the truth, to have compassion for all parties concerned and to make good decisions.

But Justice and Peace in the exterior order does not mean that the spirit of Justice and Peace comes to the inner person. For people to experience justice and peace within themselves, forgiveness is also needed, and the law itself cannot effect this, as we cannot legislate forgiveness, compassion and love.

How often we hear people say that once justice is fulfilled, they can put whatever the problem is behind them. But often people are not dominated so much for the thirst for justice as really for vengeance. And while vengeance is a motivating force, a person will never experience peace, and the very justice sought can eat away at the heart of a person causing continuing pain and hurt long after strict justice is served.

Only when the injured party finds forgiveness in his or her heart, will true peace be found. This is just as true for the person who caused the injury, only when the person repents and seeks forgiveness in everyway possible, and seek to make reparation in every way possible, will that person find peace in his or her heart. When both parties find compassion, forgiveness, founded for us with faith in Christ, made possible so often only by the power of Christ in our hearts, will justice and peace be found not only in the exterior order but within their hearts. This really is what restorative justice is all about. The judicial system itself sets in motion a process to encourage the perpetrator of an injustice to accept the consequences of his or her actions, and in our Christian terms, to be repentant, and seek the forgiveness of the injured party, seeking to make reparation in any way possible. Many persons in our society are beginning to see how the emphasis on restorative justice can truly lead people to have this change of heart, which alone can bring about true peace in people’s lives. This process will not work for all but it can work for many people, and help both the one causing the injury and the injured party find reconciliation and peace.

As Judges, Lawyers, Police officers, governmental leaders you are dealing with many different relationships between people every day of your lives. In the concrete realities which you deal with, you need so much the qualities that God calls us all to: to share in his Wisdom, justice, peace, compassion, pardon. If you wish to become an advocate for peace, I encourage you to learn more about restorative justice, as this can change people’s hearts, which alone can bring about a society that reflects the justice and peace God wills for us all.

We are here today at this Mass asking God to bless you for your work in effecting justice in our society. Each of you contributes greatly to the common good of all. In the name of the greater community I thank God for each and everyone of you today in this Mass and I thank each and everyone of you for responding to that to the role God has called you to in order to serve him in this world. Your profession is truly a vocation from God and your way of serving God in this world. Without your roles there is no hope at all for people to live in justice and peace, hopefully leading them to compassion and pardon so that we as individuals and as a society may experience true peace in our lives and in our communities.

Thank you for all you do for us. May God bless you, and your families, and fill you with His wisdom and love to work always for justice and peace.