Justice Now
Do you have faith that justice will prevail, or do you believe we need to take matters into our own hands to set things right?
Because the spirit of the Lord has filled the world, and that which holds all things together knows what is said, therefore those who utter unrighteous things will not escape notice, and justice, when it punishes, will not pass them by. For inquiry will be made into the counsels of the ungodly, and a report of their words will come to the Lord, to convict them of their lawless deeds. - Wisdom 3:7-9
In today's Wisdom reading, we are comforted in our concerns for justice, but even though we are told all things will be made known and there will be punishment for the unrighteous, we may not find satisfaction in that.
We want justice now.
We can't just sit by and do nothing in the face of injustice, right?
The problem, I think, is that we don't all agree on what injustice is. If it is truly up to the Lord to mete out punishment for injustice, what is it we can and should do when we feel its sting?
Last night in our Education for Ministry class, we heard that a woman one of our classmates knows will be appearing in court today to face possible deportation. Our classmate will go with her, so she will not be alone, but one can't help feel frightened for this woman.
Now some of us may focus on the fact that she had been convicted of a felony and feel the deportation is justified, while others will focus on her family who will be left alone and say the punishment is cruel.
I believe this issue could help us to take a closer look at all forms of punishment for crimes and ask ourselves if any of it is just.
On Sunday, my wife and I attended the closing ceremony for the latest Kairos Outside weekend, a three-day celebration of God's love for women impacted by incarceration. We heard some heart-wrenching stories of separation from loved ones who have been in prison for decades.
When we punish those who commit a crime, it is the families who hurt the most.
We can say that the victim deserves justice and we would get few arguments on that, but what about the loved ones on both sides? What do they have to live with and without?
When we fight for justice, we are often fighting out of anger or fear. We want to set the world right, and what we see as right is often an extension of our own desire to restore stability, our stability, our way.
It is hard to be impartial when we are angry or afraid.
So, what do we do?
Today, I will pray for the woman facing deportation and for her family and friends who will have to live with the decision to deport her. Whether I believe the action taken is just or not, I will pray for deeper understanding and a more personal perspective that will lead us to be more loving of one another.
It is far easier to stand firm on an issue when we know no one who is affected by it. But if we sit with someone whose loved one is taken away we may start to think of other ways to mete out justice.
Lord, help us. We need it.
More to come...