Growing in Virtue: Justice

As Catholics, we believe that the source of any capacity for righteousness ultimately comes from God and the grace He offers to us. When we act upon this grace consistently, more disposing ourselves to receiving that grace, we build up a habit of goodness. Going forward, this makes it easier to continue using that grace. We refer to this habit built over time as virtue.

Virute ethics in the Catholic Tradition joins Scriptural revelation to the Classical model of ethics developed by the early Western Civilizations, particularly the Greeks. Individual virtues are often grouped systematically into two categories: Theological and Cardinal (a.k.a. Human). The Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity are complete gifts from God to be received each to our own measure. The Cardinal Virtues of Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance are where we can practice and develop proficiencies over time, often serving as four larger categories under which other virtues are grouped. These virtues are practical in their nature, and the Early Church Fathers such as Augustine and John Chrysostom did much to develop our understanding of what scripture already reveals to us about living a good life.

Justice in particular is often the broadest used term of the four, and thus often loses any practical meaning in our day-to-day lives. Compounding this with the culture around us and its disdain for the proper use and mastery of language, words like justice take on meanings that are totally different from the underlying term. To start discussing Justice, it is helpful to begin with one of the more accessible places the Church has provided for answers: the Catechism.

Justice is defined as ‘the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor.’ (CCC 1807) It is common to group the virtue of Religion under Justice, as it is just to give God His due via praise and thanksgiving (worship, CCC 2135). The word ‘justice’ comes from the very ancient word iustus, composed of the roots ius (meaning either ‘of life’, or ‘upright/accuracy’) and stus (‘being provided or endowed with’). As such, Justice means literally ‘the condition of being upright or correct’.

As a practical virtue, Justice is the practice of doing to others what is ‘fair’ or ‘owed to them’. Examples include paying back a debt to someone who assisted in a time of need, or honoring/supporting those who contributed to raising us when they reach old age. Frequently, it is easy to write off simple interactions with others as meaningless and insignificant in the grand scheme of Salvation History. However, our God is a God who does not forget even the hairs on our heads (Luke 12:4-7). Every person whom we meet presents an opportunity to love and treat as we would have others treat us, and Justice demands that we give them their due. Our actions have consequences, and this should be a sign of Hope and not discouragement! Our God sees each of us in a unique, personal, way and actively works all throughout time for our good. Virtues like Justice are our small, yet valued, participation in that glory of the next life here in this one.

During this Easter season, we contemplate Jesus making things right through His Life, Suffering, Death and Resurrection. Jesus met us in our sin, when we had forgotten the many covenants made with His Father and promises committed over and over throughout history. Where Divine Justice demanded fair consequences for actions warned against, Jesus fulfilled this debt on our behalf, and in doing so showed us another side of Justice that only God could: Mercy.

May we endeavor this Easter season to treat others with love and mercy, dealing justly with our neighbors as well as our ‘enemies’. For: ‘Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.’ (Luke 6:38)