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Justice - A Christian View



Introduction:
There is a world of difference between paying R 5 to a beggar and treating him equally.”

A warm welcome to you all for the Bible service. Let us together reflect on the days gospel, in the context of Justice Sunday.
             
   What is Justice? In simple words- it’s giving the other what he/she deserves. But in a deeper sense sharing once own self.

             In the prophetical literature Justice is seen in the light of covenantal relationship. Covenant is an intimate relationship between God and Human that invites to care, to be compassionate and to relate deeply to fellow humans.

             In prophets justice is love and concern for the poor and the underprivileged classes. Injustice and oppression is not only evil but Sin. In the absence of Justice – Society suffers and   the absence of righteousness leads to the death of the society.
         Prophet Micah invites us to – Act justly, Love tenderly and walk humbly before God.

Reading: Jn Jn  6,53-54, 56-57
Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink from his blood; you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life and I will raise them up on the last day. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood – abide in me and I in them. Just as the living father sent me, and I live because of him, so whoever eats of me will live because of me.

Reflections
You and I are created in the image and likeness of God. The gospel, brings to mind the scene of a Banquet. When we arrange a banquet, we normally invite those who share our life. The reading invites us to Jesus or to share the life of the divine. This intern is an invitation to share our lives with others.

           Document Justice in the world calls us to be the voice of the voiceless.

          We have often spoken for or about Justice, shouted slogans at times. Do these acts, sometimes have a hidden motif of our own popularity or to show off our own selves. If Yes then we are operating from a very superficial realm.

            If my work to promote justice -  emerges out of my deep connectedness to the Lord – then it’s flowing from a deeper realm.  This is not out of a compulsion but as prophet Jeremiah says – it flows from the inner law, put within me. I believe people like Mother Teresa, Oscar Romero, A.T. Thomas operated from this realm, to risk their lives for humanity.

Before we work for societal justice, we need to imbibe 3 C’s.
1.      Courage: courage to be myself, in a world of peer pressure and superficiality. One cannot stand by the other, if one cannot stand by himself.

    Choice:  My vocation is an everyday choice. At times when the outside world draws me and I struggle for meaning in religious life, it takes real strength to say YES to the Lord.

Vocation, in some sense is like an electric bulb. It’s meant to give light. Choice is with the bulb, where it wants to be. It can place itself within a small room, giving light to a small family or it can place itself in a street, where hundreds of poor and destitute benefit.

   Commitment: A deeper commitment to a God, who in the fullness of time gathers all things in him and wishes to see humanity as one Family.

       Finally, as we go, let us leave this planet a bit better than the time we arrived.

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