Justice and Mercy

[james03]

I have long held that a major problem in current "catholic" social teaching is that people don't understand the difference between Justice and Mercy.  Furthermore, Justice is a Cardinal Virtue that we must not offend.  So for example we have the term "Social Justice".  Taken literally, this would mean handicapped people starve to death.  The correct term would be "Social Mercy", but leftists don't like the fact that the choice is left to the granter of Mercy, which causes psychological pain in their insecure psyche's.

I've refined it even more.  What is being proposed in many cases is Mercy at the cost of an injustice.

[Carleendiane]

Great point you have here James. Often, these words are used improperly. Only because Mercy is from a higher source which must not be referrenced. Justice, well that is a matter for our man courts. Mercy is more a matter of the heart and generosity of those who wish to bestow it, but the source of all Mercy is God.

[clau clau]

That reminds me of a Priest who once said to my brother "The justice of God is mercy".

My brother objected.   But Father, "The justice of God is justice, the mercy of God is mercy".  Father would not have it though.

That Priest is dead now so I suppose he knows the truth ...

[Non Nobis]

Although the application of mercy (the particular choice of who and what) is left to the grantor, remember that mercy is not optional in general (like alms-giving; it is optional here and now, but required through life).

St. Thomas says:

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/3030.htm

of all the virtues which relate to our neighbor, mercy is the greatest, even as its act surpasses all others, since it belongs to one who is higher and better to supply the defect of another, in so far as the latter is deficient.

The sum total of the Christian religion consists in mercy, as regards external works: but the inward love of charity, whereby we are united to God preponderates over both love and mercy for our neighbor.

and also (emphasizing that justice must be safeguarded when mercy is applied):

Hence Augustine says (De Civ. Dei ix, 5) that "this movement of the mind" (viz. mercy) "obeys the reason, when mercy is vouchsafed in such a way that justice is safeguarded, whether we give to the needy or forgive the repentant." And since it is essential to human virtue that the movements of the soul should be regulated by reason, as was shown above (I-II:59:4 and I-II:59:5), it follows that mercy is a virtue.

It would be a further argument to say that the individual is required to be merciful, but not the state.

In literature, I always think of inspector Javert in Les Miserables as a good example of one who loved justice without mercy, and he was a representative of the state.  Mercy does look at the individual people, the degree of their guilt, their excuses, and their needs.

[Chestertonian]

God doesn't owe us anything though.  He doesn't have to be merciful to us

[Non Nobis]

God doesn't owe us anything though.  He doesn't have to be merciful to us

Christ died for us, in effect PROMISING us mercy even though He didn't OWE it. Mercy does not mean ignoring our sin, but forgiving it if we go to Him.

[james03]

It would be a further argument to say that the individual is required to be merciful, but not the state.

If it were required (how?), then it would no longer be mercy.

Of course, there are consequences.  If you want to live solely by Justice, then you are living under the Law, and you will be judged under the Law in Justice.  Not a good plan, but you are free to try if you want.

[james03]

Christ died for us, in effect PROMISING us mercy even though He didn't OWE it. Mercy does not mean ignoring our sin, but forgiving it if we go to Him.

Our Faith in Christ is Justice.  You can't read Romans unless you accept that.  That in a nutshell is the New Covenant.  Christ did not promise everyone Mercy, only those Justified through Faith in Him.

[Heinrich]

It would be a further argument to say that the individual is required to be merciful, but not the state.

If it were required (how?), then it would no longer be mercy.

Of course, there are consequences.  If you want to live solely by Justice, then you are living under the Law, and you will be judged under the Law in Justice.  Not a good plan, but you are free to try if you want.

Many a Communist wish they hadn't.

[james03]

Yeah, just remember the butchery of tens of millions.  It's even worse, they had no mercy nor justice.

[Bernadette]

God doesn't owe us anything though.  He doesn't have to be merciful to us

And yet: He is, anyway. He's really something, isn't He?  God's mercy is perfectly just, and his justice is perfectly merciful. It's a paradox, but there you have it. We're not really meant to understand it perfectly, this side of Heaven.

Still praying for you and your family, James. 

[james03]

God's mercy is perfectly just, and his justice is perfectly merciful. It's a paradox, but there you have it.

I don't know if it is a paradox, perhaps.  The Passion of Christ is Mercy AND Justice.  I can see Justice with zero Mercy, but I do not accept the existence of any Mercy that is unjust.  For the simple reason that just because you are OWED doesn't put any obligation on you to collect.  And just because you are under no obligation to PAY, doesn't make it an offense against Justice if you decide to pay.  Buried in here is the bedrock premise of private property and true Catholic social teaching.

[Quaremerepulisti]

God doesn't owe us anything though.  He doesn't have to be merciful to us

This, Chestertonian, sums up in a nutshell all the difficulties you have been having, as you have been stating in your various posts.  While the two statements are correct as they stand, the implication is false.  God doesn't act as He does out of obligation (such would be contrary to His nature), and thus it is true God doesn't "owe" any creature anything strictly speaking.  However, while it is true His mercy is not something owed to us, it is nevertheless impossible for Him to do otherwise, for He is Mercy itself by nature.  Thus, despite the fact we can make no claim on God, we can and should have absolute confidence in His Mercy.

[james03]

The missing piece is Charity. 

[Nazianzen]

I have long held that a major problem in current "catholic" social teaching is that people don't understand the difference between Justice and Mercy.  Furthermore, Justice is a Cardinal Virtue that we must not offend.  So for example we have the term "Social Justice".  Taken literally, this would mean handicapped people starve to death.  The correct term would be "Social Mercy", but leftists don't like the fact that the choice is left to the granter of Mercy, which causes psychological pain in their insecure psyche's.

I've refined it even more.  What is being proposed in many cases is Mercy at the cost of an injustice.

God provided an abundance of goods, sufficient for all.  All men have a right to a sufficiency.  It is unjust if they lack that sufficiency.  Hence, social justice.

The fact that the left has expropriated this term and perverted it to support Communism is beside the point.  It's still justice, not mercy, that is in view when speaking of these things.  See Leo XIII for the sound doctrine.

Almsgiving is a private initiative which may (and often is) replacing what ought to have been provided in strict justice by others.  But again, that's  beside the point - it's still charity.