Go Beyond Justice

By: Bradley Binversie

If you want to truly resolve conflict, we must go beyond justice and into forgiveness.

When evil or wrongdoing occurs, the cry for justice will rise up loudly. The desire for vengeance, retribution, and punishment to help with the hurt and pain that we feel. Justice is important because it holds people accountable for their actions, but we must go beyond justice and into forgiveness if we want to resolve a conflict.

Most of the ongoing conflicts in the troubled parts of the world are the result of an incapacity to forgive. These regions are stuck in cycles of “eye for eye” retribution that leaves everyone blind. This applies to our daily lives and personal conflicts as well.

Why is this?
Forgiveness is a WORK of mercy. The word work is intentionally included in the description, because it is hard. When we forgive, we bear the burden of the other party’s transgression against us.

“You wronged me. You hurt me. But instead of continuing the cycle of hurt, I am going to do the hard work to bear this burden in forgiveness, in order that we can move forward and resolve this conflict.”
What a heavy burden to bear. But only when someone has the strength to bear this burden, can conflict can be resolved.

*Based on the teachings of Catholic Bishop Barron.