Micah 6:8
He has showed you, O man, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
Justice follows from Prudence as sunlight follows sunrise. They are not the same virtue, but they are inseparable virtues. Justice is not (contrary to popular opinion) "treating everybody the same." Justice means (very sensibly) "treating equals equally and treating unequals unequally." Americans have an allergy to the word "unequal." But if we think about it, we have to admit that nobody thinks all people are exactly the same. That's why we don't let five-year-olds vote and it's why we slap the hand of a two-year-old who punches his sister, but imprison an abusive husband who punches his wife. In short, Justice is rooted in Prudence and Prudence is logically expressed in Justice. Today, show justice in your dealings with family, co-workers and friends.
By Mark Shea
Mark P. Shea is a Catholic author, blogger, and speaker.
