Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Principles and Practices - December 18

MEANS TO ACQUIRE THE VIRTUE OF JUSTICE

The first means is to keep the heart detached from wealth and money; because from this sordid attachment it is that all the wrongs done to our neighbour take their rise, as well as all the faults committed against the virtue of justice. St. Basil says that we have justice and a sense of fair dealing instilled into our heart by nature herself; but our inordinate attachment to wealth and love of riches overcloud this shining light, distort the good inclination we have of acting according to what is right, and lead us to infringe the prescriptions of justice, and so to become the unrighteous possessors of what belongs to another.

-J.B. Scaramelli, S.J.
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From Principles and Practices
Compiled by Rev. J. Hogan of The Catholic Missionary Society
Published by Burns Oates & Washbourne Ltd., Publishers To The Holy See
Nihil Obstat; Eduardus J. Mahoney, S.T.D. Censor deputatus.
Imprimatur; Edm. Can. Surmont, Vicarius generalis.
First printed in 1930

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