I spent several mornings last week at a murder trial. It was horrible. I had to listen to people that I care about and love recount terrible things done to them and their family. I was on the side of the victim. And I had a lot of time, especially when they were discussing the science of DNA, to think about perspective, and how that defines what justice means.
It is quite clear to me who is guilty in that trial. There is an eye witness, plenty of evidence, and my gut reaction. And I have to say I was irritated that it took so long to have the jury agree. I watched the case unfold, carefully painstakingly presented, crafted by the prosecutors. And I watched the defense try to poke holes, get the jury to think in other ways, essentially do his job. Justice is a slow moving thing.
It was easy to be exasperated with the defense. I can’t believe even they thought their client was innocent. And I was impressed. They had a job to do and they did it. I kept reminding myself everyone has a right to a fair and complete trial, everyone has a right to their day in court, everyone has a right to all of the protections built into the justice system. And the defense attorney was protecting those rights, and earned my grudging admiration.
We vow in our baptism to respect the dignity of every human being and work for justice for everyone. I prayed about that a lot. It is easy to stand back and say who deserves justice and who does not. It is much harder to put aside your feelings about the person and remember that they are a child of God created in the image of God. And even though we all have to answer for our sins, God is the judge, and God takes care of things.
The justice system isn’t always just. There have been plenty of verdicts and recent Supreme Court decisions that have sent me to prayer. I had to ask myself if I wanted retribution or justice, and what I was willing to do to get the justice I advocate for on so many other occasions. I am glad the perpetrator was found guilty. I still pray for God’s justice for the horrible things he did. And to be a witness to the rights of the victims is very comfortable for me.
And I pray for the conversion of hearts, and especially my own. I pray to remember that I am not the judge in any legal system, earthly or divine. I pray to help create a world where it is easier for people to be healthy, to get the treatment they need for mental illness, to be good. That is my responsibility in the justice system, to help build a just world. Sometimes justice is convenient and sometimes it is hard, and sometimes we don’t see it the way we want to, and I still have to pray and work and humble myself before things I cannot control. And to trust God, over and over again.
Let’s pray to be a sign of justice, to be loving to victims and perpetrators, and to be relentless in our creation of a better world.