Justice Wedded to Mercy

Law and Religion Paving the Way to Freedom

Abstract

The end of law and religion is nothing but justice, but justice qualified by mercy. It is, perhaps, the way to freedom and it is in this sense law and religion become forces of freedom. Before we go into the conglomeration of justice and mercy, it is good to know the term justice in all its nuances. Ever since men have begun to reflect upon their relation with each other and upon the vicissitudes of human lot, they have been pre-occupied with the meaning of justice. There have been several terms and explanations offered to clarify justice but nothing seems to convey it in its fullest sense. Among all these, even today, the most endearing is that of Aristotle's - "giving each man his due," But justice is not just doing right; it consists in a certain moral disposition or state of character. A firm and perennial disposition is the moral attitude, or habit without which justice cannot manifest itself. It is not merely a matter of facile intuition, but an intuition ripened by experience or an intuition constantly and perseveringly cultivated.