Choose a topic from Part 2B:
1. Justice regulates our dealings with others-God and fellowman.The Ten Commandments (called the Decalogue) are therefore preceptsof justice. The first three commandments regulate our activitiestowards God; they deal with religion, which, indeed, is the chiefpart of justice. The fourth commandment regulates piety, which is apart of justice. The other six commandments regulate our justdealing with other men.
2. Since man's first need is truth about God, anddirection to God and away from false belief and false worship, itis right that the very first commandment of the decalogue shouldmeet this need: "I am the Lord thy God. . . . Thou shalt nothave strange gods before me" (Exod. 20:2, 3). This commandmentexpresses a requirement of justice.
3. The second commandment, "Thou shalt not take thename of the Lord thy God in vain" (Exod. 20:7), prohibits atonce the lack of reverence which would hinder the full accord ofhuman wills with the first commandment. This too is a precept ofjustice.
4. External worship is most proper in itself, and is alsoof the greatest value to man. It is indicated as an obligation ofjustice by the third commandment of the decalogue.
5. Immediately after the commandments which require justrecognition of the First Principle of our being, comes thecommandment which regulates our attitude and conduct towards theproximate principle of our being, our parents.
6. After the precepts of religion and piety, all of whichare precepts of justice, come the six remaining precepts whichbelong to justice simply, and direct our duty towards allmankind.
"Spiritual persons ought to be equally ready to experience sweetness and consolation in the things of God, or to suffer and keep their ground in drynesses of spirit and devotion, and for as long as God pleases, without their making any complaint about it."
St Philip Neri
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"The more you know and the better you understand, the more severely will you be judged, unless your life is also the more holy. Do not be proud, therefore, because of your learning or skill. Rather, fear because of the talent given you."
Thomas á Kempis
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"The supreme perfection of man in this life is to be so united to God that all his soul with all its faculties and powers are so gathered into the Lord God that he becomes one spirit with him, and remembers nothing except God, is aware of and recognises nothing but God, but with all his desires unified by the joy of love, he rests contentedly in the enjoyment of his Maker alone."
St Albert the Great
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