HumanityVirtues
Justice
quick ideas about justice. What is justice? Justice with oneself. Justice with others. Justice with God.
EspañolA. What is justice?
1. What is justice?
As a personal quality, justice is the virtue or good habit of giving to each what is his, what corresponds to him, what must be granted to him. It is usually understood in economic matters, but justice encompasses other more forgotten aspects.
2. What forgotten aspects does justice cover?
Among the duties of justice are included:
- Respect for parents and authorities. It is just to obey and respect them. It is a duty toward them.
- Fulfilling professional obligations, even for students. The latter is a duty toward the family and society, which count on their current preparation for future work.
- Fulfilling obligations toward God. A very forgotten aspect of justice. We men are not gods but creatures, and we have duties toward the Creator. For example, missing Mass on a Sunday is an injustice.
- Respect for human dignity. Each person must be accorded treatment proper to a human being, which includes avoiding discriminations. For example, with the embryo, with women, etc.
- In general, each person is very sensitive to the injustices they suffer, but it is easy to forget the injustices one makes others suffer through mockery, criticism, and snubs. Taking care of these things greatly improves the atmosphere. The same happens if there is loyalty.
3. Does loyalty have to do with justice?
Loyalty demands fulfilling the word given and commitments made, which are duties of justice. For example:
- Marriage includes the commitment not to join with another person. Adultery is unjust. Divorce is also unjust, since marriage includes the commitment to love each other forever.
- The fulfillment of contracts is a duty of justice and loyalty.
- Perseverance in a vocation is a duty of justice and loyalty, since that commitment was accepted with God. A wonderful commitment of love.
4. More examples of exercising justice?
- Accepting the rules of games and sports. Treating opponents and teammates as they deserve.
- Behaving correctly at a meeting, a wedding, etc., is a sign of proper treatment of others, proper to charity and justice. Included here is behavior in churches, treating God as he deserves.
5. Is justice enough?
Justice alone is not enough. Doing something because it must be fulfilled is a valid but poor motive. Justice must be accompanied by charity. We seek the good of all, and for this reason we also want to be just, but not only just, also good, generous, and kind to others. For example, it is fitting to thank mothers for the food they have prepared.
6. Is it advisable to nurture an attitude of demanding duties of justice?
B. Justice with oneself
1. What does it mean to be just with oneself?
Justice with oneself consists in treating oneself as is appropriate, as is due. One can speak of this justice since one has duties toward oneself.
2. On what are the obligations of justice toward oneself based?
These obligations are laid down by nature itself, that is, by the Creator. In other words, human dignity demands certain duties to be fulfilled.
3. Duties toward one's own body?
Justice with respect to one's own body includes treating it in accordance with its dignity. This has many consequences. For example, sex cannot be used in any way, since it is something of great worth, which unites in marriage and grants the great gift of children. Likewise, personal hygiene and a proper way of dressing are obligations that the dignity of the human body demands.
4. More examples?
Justice toward one's own body includes the obligation to respect the life and capacities of the body by avoiding mutilations, suicides, drunkenness, drugs, etc. One cannot use one's body as one pleases, and one will be accountable to God and others for this care. For example, a family, a company, and a football team can require of someone that they not get drunk. Whoever gets drunk fails in duties toward all of them and toward oneself.
5. From where does the dignity of the human body come?
This dignity of the body is based on the fact that it is human, and not something external to us. We are body, we are soul, we are body and soul at the same time. The human body shares in the dignity proper to man.
6. Duties toward one's own soul?
The human soul also requires its attentions both on the human and supernatural levels. Humanly, it is fitting to develop intelligence, the will, and human qualities or virtues. On the supernatural level, the soul requires prayer, formation, frequent reception of the sacraments, etc.
C. Justice with others
1. What does it mean to be just with others?
Justice with others consists in treating them as is appropriate, as is due.
2. On what are the obligations of justice toward others based?
The main reason is also human dignity, which demands certain duties to be fulfilled. So it would suffice to apply the previous paragraphs. In fact, both cases usually occur in parallel; for example, whoever respects their own body will easily also respect that of others.
3. More examples?
Let us see some duties that human dignity demands:
- A person is not an object, and must not be used. Ancient slavery serves as an example of this unjust way of treating people. A more modern case is found in the manipulation of embryos.
- A person is not an animal, and must not be treated as a being subject to its instincts. For example, the man-woman relationship is very different from the male-female relationship.
- There are also examples where the previous two cases are mixed. Thus, in pornography a woman is presented as an object used to obtain pleasures; and at the same time the man is considered as an animal to whom females are given.
- A person is not only a material being. Taking into account only these aspects is unjust since it forgets the human spiritual dimension. For example, a Christian doctor, besides caring for the illness, makes sure that the patient is attended to in their religious life. Justice invites us to fulfill duties encompassing economic or labor obligations but without forgetting other aspects demanded by human dignity.
D. Justice with God
1. What does it mean to be just with God?
Justice with God consists in treating him as is appropriate, as is due, in accordance with his dignity.
2. How should God be treated?
It can be summarized by saying that God is owed the proper worship. We are not gods but creatures, and this includes duties of adoration, reverence, offering of sacrifices, prayer, etc. Hence attendance at Mass is a serious obligation, and its non-fulfillment is an injustice toward the Creator, probably much greater than we imagine.
3. More examples of justice with God?
Adoration and worship of the Creator is also shown in the care of temples, which must be worthy of the Lord of heaven and earth. It is also necessary to address God in a respectful tone, never doubting his goodness or his love.
4. Is justice with God important?
The worship of God is not a trivial matter, nor a trifle. It is a serious obligation. When we appear before the divine judgment, before the immense greatness of the Lord, our failures of reverence and adoration will appear tremendous to our eyes. For example, how could I have failed to pray a single day? How could I have genuflected distractedly?...