It's interesting that sometimes the thing you're concentrating on, thinking about sharing, pops up in places serendipitously.
Today is the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost in the traditional Church calendar. The Epistle read for today's Mass just happens to be from St. Paul's letter to the Galatians. In it, chapter 5, verses 25,26, he says:
"Brethren: If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit. Let us not be made desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another." Chapter 6 exhorts us to charity. In verse 2 he says: "Bear ye one another's burdens: and so ye shall fulfill the law of Christ." And in verse 5: "For every one shall bear his own burden." He's talking about bearing with each other's faults and that everyone must answer for himself to God. In verse 9 he speaks of mercy. "And in doing good, let us not fail: for in due time we shall reap, not failing." Works of mercy are the seed of everlasting life.
The Bible has all the answers, if we take the time to make it a part of our lives. Mercy, Charity, Truth, are all necessary for Justice.
C.S. Lewis, known so well for his Narnia series, was an Oxford Don and terrific Anglican theologian.
In his book, Mere Christianity, he talks, in chapter 2, about the Cardinal Virtues. Most Christians can name the three thological virtues, Faith, Hope and Charity, though they may not know that they are so-called, "theological.' The four Cardinal Virtues are prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance. The word, cardinal, has a Latin root which means "the hinge of a door." These are virtues upon which are hinged much of a Christian life. Justice, to be all-encompassing, means "fairness." It includes honesty, truthfulness, keeping promises. Justice necessitates truth and charity.
In chapter 3 of Mere Christianity, he treats of "Social Morality." The Golden Rule sums up what people have always known, to do unto others as you would be done by. It isn't something that Christians invented, but it is the motto that all Christians should follow - in fact that all mankind should follow.
If we had truly Christian (read the word to mean God-fearing, God-obeying) law-makers and economists, our American capitalist system would work as it was intended. If we had Christian business and union leaders and teachers, we would have just requests for and from workers; and children would be taught according to Christian principles.
In a truly just society, everyone works and produces, everyone eats and lives according to his means. This is not from the Communist Manifesto. There will always be the poor. Christ Himself said as much. There will always be those who are incapable of doing for themselves. Therefore, the Bible also tells us that everyone (who is able) must work "in order that he may have something to give to those in need." Charity, the greatest -St. Paul says - theological virtue, is essential to Christian morality. And that is where the principle of subsidiarity comes in, and Social Justice is accomplished.
A textbook that I had in college, so long ago, but the lessons should be the same, was called Moral Guidance. Imagine a college course in morality! However, this was a Catholic college. Religion and philosophy courses were required courses. Anyway, the virtue of Justice, this ancient text teaches, inclines the will to give to each one his rights. What is considered a right? It is the moral power to own, to use, or to exact something - my good name, my own house, my bodily integrity. I am en-titled (have a title ) to these. It rather sounds something like being endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, etc., doesn't it?
Natural Law is an important component in right thinking. To believe that there is no Natural Law, is to deny the true rights and duties of man. I recall Chief Justice Renquist denying that there is such a thing as Natural Law. This was shocking to me, coming from the top man in the Supreme Court of the United States.
Natural Law conforms to Divine Law. Both come from God. Justice is the defender of rights. There are different types of Justice, which I won't define; but they either regulate rights between individuals, rights a person can claim from society, and what society needs for the common good.
Charity may also be considered a law. It is part of Justice. We are social beings, living with fellow social beings. Justice obliges us to respect each others rights. Charity obliges us to help, in justice, when help is required. Charity is Love and God is Love. First we love God, then our neighbor as ourselves, the Greatest Commandment as Christ called it. When we act for our neighbor's good, we are working for the love of God and working towards our own eternal happiness with Him.
Our founders knew that this Republic would stand only if people of right conscience and respect for God and God's laws watched over it. Our economic system of free enterprise, Capitalism, is the best system for society as a whole, IF the virtues, morality, respect for divine and natural laws are observed. It fails when vices rather than virtue prevail over business and political dealings. That is what we are experiencing today.
In this, sadly, we are no different from any society through the ages.
This quote of Ronald Reagan has been heard a lot lately. It is true. " If we are not one nation under God, we are a nation gone under."
I haven't gotten to Thomas Aquinas yet, and some of Pope Benedicts's remarks to the German Parliament. This seems like a lot, but I think it's important. I'll try to wrap it up soon and get to something lighter.
9/25/11
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