A God of Justice

This year, I have been reading classic American Western, novels including Lonesome Dove, True Grit, and Shane.

The Ox Bow Incident, the last of these on my reading list, deals with the problem of justice on the frontier. In the wake of cattle rustling and a killing, a local community strays into revenge and mob justice. Human beings often mistake justice for the consequences of their passions. Many an innocent man has been lynched by a mob who cried out for justice.

Our God is a God of perfect justice. Every man and woman will receive what is their due. Those who do good will receive goodness, and those who do evil will inherit the place of evil doers.

This means, of course, that our moral life matters; our moral decisions shape our eternal reward. It means that God has given us the capacity to discern what is good and what is evil and has also given us the freedom to choose the good.

One of the most important reasons for Catholic schooling and Catholic religious education is that we live in a culture that often celebrates the unjust, and that which is ungodly. We must teach the children of our community that some actions are always wrong, no matter the circumstances. Moral guidance is a large part of our sacred commission.

We must also model justice, including a concern for those kicked to the curb by a society that struggles with compassion.

If you have children or grandchildren, have a conversation with them about that which is right and that which is wrong, and why it matters so very much to do what is right.