Human justice should bow to divine charity

FOR the simple reason that our human justice can never

cope with all the demands and requirements of divine charity as shown

by Christ in his passion, death and resurrection, our human justice

should bow to divine charity.

  

            Somehow this was the message of Pope Francis to the

Filipino bishops who had their “ad limina” visit to him recently. Love

and pray for your persecutors, the Pope was reported to have told the

bishops. Imitate Christ, he told them.

  

            Of course, we know that, though he preached about what is

right and wrong and who is the way, truth and life for us, Christ in

the end just accepted all the indignities all the way to his

crucifixion out of love for this Father and all of us.

  

            Christ made no exception in his love for everyone. He even

offered mercy to those who crucified him, and even went to the extent

of finding excuses for them. “Forgive them, Father, for they know not

what they are doing.” (Lk 23,34)

  

            It was as if the Holy Father was comforting those bishops

who have been the object of vitriolic attacks by a politician. It was

as if the Holy Father was reminding them that they should not be

surprised by these painful developments.

  

            It was as if the Pope was telling them that they have to

learn to expect being misunderstood, mocked, insulted and practically

given a public crucifixion because that was how Christ himself went

through.

   

            “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you as well,”

Christ told his disciples. (Jn 15,20) And Christ reminded his

disciples that no servant is greater than his master. That’s just how

things are.

  

            But the bishops should simply focus on their ministry

which is far more important than complaining about being unfairly

treated and defending themselves. Yes, they have to proclaim the

truth, point out what is right and wrong, etc., but all these should

be done without bitterness, anger, much less, hatred. They should

avoid giving the slightest signs that they are falling into partisan

politics.

  

            Charity and mercy, compassion, understanding and patience

should always be obvious in all their actuations and reactions. Let’s

remember that charity, the charity of God as shown by Christ is the

highest and the mother virtue. It is the ultimate truth itself. It is

what makes justice real justice, the justice of God and not just our

own idea of justice.

  

            It is this charity that can manage to be above the usual

as well as the unusually severe differences and conflicts we can have

among ourselves. It has a universal scope. It can even extend to those

who clearly reject God, as in, even those who are already in hell.

  

            This charity does not stop just because it is not

reciprocated or, worse, because it is contradicted. This is the reason

charity is superior to justice. And this is also the reason we just

cannot live by justice alone, which has in its core the law of Talion.

Our justice cannot fully fathom what is due to us, what we truly

deserve. Only God’s charity can.

            God’s charity gets more stirred when unreciprocated and

contradicted. It will even offer the other cheek. It is always

magnanimous, making one willing to suffer and die if only to bring

others to the truth, to the right path, to God.

  

            Charity is not scandalized by any evil. Rather it will

drown evil with an abundance of good. It will always smile, will

always be cheerful and oozing with confidence and serenity. It does

not bear grudges even if offended.

  

            Charity will proclaim the truth in season and out of

season. And it does stop even if the truth is rejected.

  

            This is the charity of God. It is the highest good we can

have. It is God himself who in the First Letter of St. John is

described, nay, defined as love. “Deus caritas est.” (cfr. 4,8)