Justice

Whenever one human being attacks another, let alone events such as those that occurred on 11^th September 2001, even good people ask for Justice. 'Turning the other cheek' seems inappropriate. Jesus' reaction, when confronted with an angry crowd who brought before him a woman caught in adultery (what happened to the man that she was caught with, I wonder?), leads - I believe - to the true answer.

Jesus asked what penalty the local Law prescribed (which was stoning) and then said 'let him who is without sin cast the first stone'. We are told that the people, who were probably aiming to hurt both the woman and Him, melted away. Jesus was seeing the matter from God's point of view. As God is Love, God can only give love. Thus Jesus tells us to 'love one another'. Whether human justice dictates it or not, a disciple of Jesus should offer love, even to an aggressor. This is because God is all there is and therefore even that aggressor is part of and loved by God, as we are. Thus we know that the two greatest commandments (of the Law cited by those who came to Jesus) are 'Love God and your neighbour as yourself'.

Paul Newman

September, 2001

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