Sep 21 Sun
Who is a just man?
One distinguished by habitual right thinking and the uprightness of his conduct toward his neighbor
Because of original sin, we want to seek our own advantage to gain pleasure, or wealth. But “right thinking” means to see things the way God does, which begins with recognizing what we owe to others.
With the help of grace, we can grow in the virtue of justice by reforming our thinking and conduct.
We have read about the dishonest servant. Every human being faces the same problem. We want security so as to be free from worry. Can we ever have enough so that we never need fear going without, and can we ever be so secure that no danger can touch us?
There are only two sources of security for most of us. It is either God or wealth. Which one will we be devoted to, primarily?
By “dishonest wealth,” I don’t think Our Lord meant simply wealth gained dishonestly. I believe He meant that wealth may be dishonest, in the sense that we think it promises us secure happiness, but it can’t. This is why He contrasts dishonest wealth with “true wealth” and says that this “true wealth” could be ours.
The “children of this world” are those whose master is money, and they are clever in gaining and keeping wealth, like the unjust steward. The “children of light” are those whose Master is God. We should be clever in reaching and keeping God.
Our Lord tells us that we can achieve this goal of gaining and keeping God by using our wealth wisely: “Make friends with yourselves with dishonest wealth.” In other words, use justly, honestly, and in service whatever worldly goods you have.
But what is justice?
Justice is when we give persons what we owe. A society is just when everyone gives and receives what is owed.
Justice toward God is called the ‘virtue of religion.’ We owe him thanksgiving for blessings received, sorrow for our sins, adoration, and petition for all needs.
There are three kinds of human justice:
Commutative justice refers to the strict obligations that exist between individual persons.
Legal justice concerns what the citizen owes in fairness to the community.
Distributive justice regulates what the authority owes its citizens in proportion to their contributions and needs.
Here are some questions we can ask ourselves in the presence of God:
Am I giving the most important person, God, what I owe him? Do I thank him, say sorry when I do wrong or see the wrong others have done, worship him, and ask him for my needs and the needs of others? Do I obey the precepts of his Church? Do I pray for those in authority?
Am I giving my parents what I owe them? What about my spouse? My children? My employer or employees? My friends and neighbors?
Do I obey the just laws of my city, state, and nation?
Do I work toward greater justice in my community, especially when it comes to those most vulnerable?
What a good thing it would be to identify even one unjust practice of ours and to reform our behavior with God’s help.