Isaiah 32:15-18; James 3:13-18; Matthew 22:34-40
We are here today asking God to send his wisdom and prudence upon all of you who are involved in the justice system, whether you are judges, lawyers, legal assistants, or involved in any manner in the legal profession. Your particular role is truly a vocation, a call from God and your way of serving Him in this world, and serving your fellow men and women. Without your roles there is no hope at all for people to live in justice and peace, and have law and order in our society.
Very often you have to deal with very complex and complicated issues that have no easy resolution and you truly need not only human prudence but that Wisdom from above to which St. James refers to in the second reading. Without a doubt it must be very humbling to know so many people look to you for justice. We pray that God, through your faith in our Lord Jesus, fill your hearts and minds to guide you in fulfilling your roles of service in integrity and honesty, seeking always the truth, never being led by ambition, caring for all parties concerned, and seeking always justice for rich and poor alike.
Many people see a dichotomy between Justice and Charity. It is interesting to note that Pope Benedict XVI in his second Encyclical, published last June, entitled “Charity in Truth,” says that justice and charity are very much related. Seeking justice is very much related to love of neighbor of which our Lord Jesus speaks to us in the Gospel, and is the underpinning of all law.
Our Holy Father states clearly that Justice is inseparable from Charity. Charity, he says, goes beyond justice, but never lacks justice. He states and I quote: “If we love others with charity, then first of all we are just towards them. Not only is justice not extraneous to charity, not only is it not an alternative or parallel path to charity: justice is inseparable from charity and intrinsic to it. Justice is the primary way to charity.” He goes on to say quote: “…charity demands justice: recognition and respect for the legitimate rights of individuals and peoples. It strives to build the earthly city according to law and justice.”
This is exactly what you all do in the legal profession. Your profession is very much related to charity, to love of God and love of neighbor. For the justice you seek to achieve in your different roles, is the basis for charity in this world. Without justice, there is no way to have love of neighbor.
But our Holy Father adds that “Charity transcends justice and completes it in the logic of giving and forgiving.” You know well that you can legislate and find justice for people but you cannot bring interior peace to people’s hearts. Legal judgments cannot effect forgiveness and compassion. How often we hear people say that once justice is fulfilled, they can put whatever the pain and hurt behind them. But often people are not dominated so much for the thirst for justice as for vengeance. And that vengeance will continue to eat at a person’s heart unless one is open to compassion and forgiveness, leading to true inner peace, which love alone can bring.
I say all this as there is beginning to be more emphasis in our society, little by little, in what is called restorative justice. Restorative Justice seeks to have the victim, the offender and community members meet to seek to repair the harm caused by crime. Restorative justice leads the person who commits the offense to acknowledge the wrong, be repentant and seek forgiveness of the party that was injured, and make reparation in any way possible. And it seeks to lead the injured party to find forgiveness in his or her heart. This is what restorative justice is all about. The judicial system itself sets in motion a process to encourage the perpetrator of an injustice to be repentant and seek forgiveness of the injured party. This process will not work for the majority of cases you deal with, but it can work for many people, helping both the one causing the injury and the injured party find reconciliation and peace. In this way, once justice is found, love, forgiveness and reconciliation can become possible.
I also say all this, because I want to encourage you to learn more of restorative justice. It is beginning to change people’s lives, and it has to be encouraged and promoted by those in the justice system. Justice can lead to forgiveness and love. Inner peace becomes possible. With us humans it can seem impossible, but with God all things are possible.
I want to end thanking you for all you do to build up a society that reflects more the justice, love and peace that God wills for us all. You truly are called to serve, to serve the cause of Justice, and to set the foundation for charity to be possible in the lives of people. Without justice, charity is not possible. Justice alone can lead to peace and love. May God bless you and your families.