Patrons to imitate in the exercise of Justice

Below is the 30^th in the August Catholic Social Teaching series: Patrons to imitate in the exercise of Justice

Patrons to imitate in the exercise of Justice In each Testament of the bible, we have the example of an outstanding person whose justice is remarkable.

Teresita Scully, MTS

As Catholics and Christians, we are called to be followers of Christ; to live, as it was referred to by the followers of Christ, “The Way.”  In order to achieve this, we must read about Jesus, his time on Earth and his teachings. The Gospels give us a window into Jesus, but the Acts of the Apostles tell us more as Jesus spend more time with the Apostles after his death and most assuredly teaching them more profound lessons.

Below are just a few verses where we are exhorted to be imitators of Christ:

• 1 Corinthians 11:1: "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ."

• 1 Peter 2:21: "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps."

• John 15:12: "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."

• Ephesians 5:2: "And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

But we can go back to Genesis (37-50) to find someone, a young man about 17 years who over the years lived through different experiences.

• Jacob and Rachel favored Joseph over his brothers. His brothers were jealous. Eventually they became so envious that they betrayed him.

• Joseph was sold but showed resilience during his imprisonment. During his imprisonment he encountered harsh treatment and false accusations. However, he always maintained his integrity.

• After a period of time, God intervened. Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams caught the Pharoah’s attention, and atter proving ability (read about the 7 years of prosperity and 7 years of famine).

• During the 7 years of famine, with Joseph overseeing the survival of Egypt, Joseph generously shared the abundance of his work with neighboring lands.

• Also, during the famine, Joseph’s family in Canaan, were experiencing famine as well. His brothers went to Egypt to ask for help. Joseph, who was about 30 at the time, recognized his brothers (they did not recognize). He asked questions to help determine if the brothers repentant. Joseph determined they were repentant and had a change of heart and agreed to help them. This provided an opportunity for forgiveness and restoration of the family.

As you read the letters and epistles in the New Testament, you will find many men and women who faithfully and bravely kept the teachings of Christ in their hearts, thoughts and actions. We can look to them for inspiration.

I encourage you to watch the video here