Justice in the sight of God

Gdansk, November 4^th to 6^th, 2005

First of all, I wish to give a heartfelt greeting on behalf of His Eccellency Msgr. Stanisław Ryłko, President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, and myself to all the participants of this meeting of Presidents of the National Committees of the European Laity Forum. This meeting has as its primary purpose the preparation of the Study Assembly, which will take place in Saarbrücken on May 2006, during the 96th German Katholikentag. The motto of the Study Assembly and the next Katholikentag is the same: “Justice in the sight of God”.

In the Holy Scripture we can find the vision of God regarding justice especially in the book of the prophet Isaiah, who connects the concept of justice of God to holiness. As we read: «But, the Lord of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness» (Is 5, 16). In fact, God is the Most holy and all powerful. The divine power however is not arbitrary (cf. CCC, 271). The sanctity of God is manifested to humanity through justice: God rewards those who have done good deeds and punishes the evil doers at the moment of judgement.

The justice of God is not at all in opposition with His mercy toward the repented sinner. In fact, mercy is prior to justice. It is for this reason that we can surely affirm that in God mercy and justice go hand-in-hand to the point of identifying with each other. One cannot be completely understood without the other. In fact, Divine mercy toward humankind expresses the deepest sense of divine justice.

When Christians better understand how God views justice, they can better live the moral virtue of justice. As we read in the Cathechism of the Catholic Church: “Justice is the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor” (CCC,1807). In order to reach such a goal it is needed to follow the way of charity, that is of love towards God and neighbor, without excluding anyone. In this way, once we are capable of recognizing the Paternal love God has for each one of us, then we will be able of loving others, that is our brothers and sisters giving them whatever is due.

On the upcoming 18th of November we will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the promulgation of the Decree on the apostolate of the laity Apostolicam actuositatem of the Second Vatican Council. On the topic of Christian animation of the secular world and charitable activity, in chapter 7 and 8 of the decree, on the renewal of the temporal order and charitable word and social aid, we can find some important reflections that merit to be further explored.

In conclusion, I would like to finish by remembering our beloved Pope John Paul II here, in his dear homeland. He was called home by the Eternal Father on the eve of the IInd Sunday of Easter, the Sunday he had instituted as the Sunday of Divine Mercy. From Him we can learn his total trust in the infinite mercy of God, in the awareness that there we can find the very heart of justice. To the intercession of the Servant of God we offer the fruits of this gathering and the following one in Saarbrücken in 2006.