Doctrine: Analyze the stand of

the Church in promoting justice

Morals: Reflect in your life the

value of justice and love that
Jesus calls us all to do
Worship: Rely on God's
power and grace to help
I long for the day we can
build asay... just society
What were you feeling
and thinking while
watching the film?

How does it affect you

personally as a student?
If you were one of the victims of
child abuse, how would you seek
for justice?
In our society where there is rampant
abuse, dishonesty, corruption,
discrimination, and countless crimes,
justice is the cry of many people.
Some opt for violence...

Others seem to become

hopeless for justice...

Some remain hopeful...

 JUSTICE
is one of the Cardinal
virtues, which refers
to giving the persons
what is due to them.
THE BIG QUESTION

What is the Christian

way of promoting
justice in our society?
REALITY OF
JUSTICE
God created the
world as a home
for all people.
 Human Beings
- the crown of
God's creation
-given the responsibility
and privilege to "have
dominion over the earth
and subdue it."
 inventions
with human
creativity
innovations

and resourcefulness,
products in the market
became fast-pacing.
 There is always
something new in the
market!
 The development of
economic activity and
growth in production are
meant to provide the
needs of human beings.
 ...it is ordered
Economic Life... first of all to
not only to multiply the SERVICE
goods produced and OF ALL
increase profit or PEOPLE
power
 The temptation to
make more money is
very difficult to resist.
 • Deception
These are
• Dishonesty happening in many
sectors, both public
and private
• Graft and corruption
Discrimination exists in
many workplaces and
different crimes are
committed.
 The Church never
ceases to serve as the
conscience of society by
preaching justice,
charity, and care for one
another.
The Church reminds us of
the truth most of us have
often forgotten, that the
goods of the earth are for
ALL - not only for the
few privileged ones.
We are not absolute
masters of this world.
We are simply
caretakers or stewards
of God's creations.
 JESUS' TEACHINGS
ON JUSTICE
In Matthew 22:15-22

The story of Jesus on

paying taxes calls us to do
justice to one another.
He was asked by the
Pharisees:

" Is it lawful to pay the

census tax to Caesar or
not?"
 Jesus knew their malice so
He responded,
" Why are you testing Me, you
hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays
the census tax"
 Caesar's image

" Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and

to God what belongs to God" Mt. 22:18-22
 Jesus
teaches

• to give what is due to our brothers

and sisters
 the roots of all social
evils that break human
relationships

pride,greed,and
selfishness
 The
Church

teaches that

"economic activity is to be
exercised within the limits of the
moral order..."
Moral Order - liberation from all that may
means enslave a person
• dependence on material
possessions
• desire for power and prestige

• worldly honor
 This is how Jesus saves us; he
Moral Order does not save us by magical
means
powers, rather

• dependence on material
possessions
• desire for power and prestige

• worldly honor
We concretely give justice to one
another if everything is exercised
within the limits of moral order.

No one has an absolute power to do

whatever he/she pleases of wealth,
influence, power, and fame.
 But justice is not enough for our
interpersonal relationships and social
structures to be put in order.

Love is necessary.
For in justice, the other person can
remain "another" or an alien.

In love the other is a friend, or

a brother, or a sister in Christ.
 LOVE is fraternity.

LOVE is at the heart of

solidarity.
Jesus teaches us to go an extra mile
for every task that we do.

... do things with LOVE for it

is love that makes all the
difference
St. Paul reminds us to "do
everything with love."
Principles on Promoting Social
and Economic Justice

• Private property is a means,

not an end, to the universal
destination of goods.
 Challenge:

• ...those who have much in life

are to help the poor, if they want
to gain eternal life. cf. Gospel of
mark
 Challenges:
2. "All our excesses are not ours
anymore." - St Basil
 Help others without counting the
cost for it is by this brotherly and
sisterly love to one another that we
will be judged.
The more we have, the
more we are to give.
But it is not simply about mere
giving for we can give without
loving, but we cannot love
without giving.
2. Living a simple lifestyle is a
concrete living out of justice.
• To live a simple life, we
should always consider our
needs, not our wants in order
to live.
 Do not follow the dictate of our
culture nowadays that those who
can go with the trend are "in" and
those who cannot are left behind.
3. Radical conversion promotes
social and economic justice.
...The source of injustice is deep
within the hearts of people.
Therefore, it is only by reflecting on our
inner self and attitudes and working on
our interior conversion, that social
change will be brought about which will
truly be in the service of every person,
rich or poor.
4. All efforts shared for the sake of
justice, big or small, contribute to
building up the Kingdom of God.
 We are simply workers in the
vineyard of the Lord; we are not
the absolute masters.
• Do not live in an illusion that
we can change the world all
by our own effort

We need one another and work hand

in hand for social transformation.
In all that we do, we must implore
God for the grace to sustain all our
efforts to build a just society.
Th a n k y o u
and G o d
ble s s !