Humans may be the only species that consciously believes in the principle of justice. At its core, justice is the practice of fairness, moral rightness, and lawfulness in how we treat others—and ourselves. It requires that consequences are given in proportion to the action and that we do not carry burdens beyond what is deserved.
Yet within us often lives a quiet contradiction: an unjust judge. While we may say we value justice, we frequently rehearse guilt, shame, and blame far beyond what fairness allows. A mistake, once made, becomes a lifelong sentence. Rather than paying once, we pay repeatedly—mentally, emotionally, and relationally.
In The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, Don Miguel Ruiz observes:
How many times do we pay for one mistake? The answer is thousands of times. The human is the only animal on earth that pays a thousand times for the same mistake... We make a mistake, we judge ourselves, we find ourselves guilty, and we punish ourselves... every time we remember, we judge ourselves again... and again if we have a wife or husband he or she also reminds us of the mistake, so we can judge ourselves again, punish ourselves again, and find ourselves guilty again. Is this fair?
Ruiz goes on to ask how often we make others—our spouses, children, parents, or friends—pay repeatedly for the same wrongdoing. Each time we recall their mistakes, we reactivate our hurt and send them the emotional poison of resentment. That cycle, he says, is not justice.
True justice sets limits on punishment. It frees us after a wrong has been addressed. But the unjust judge within us thrives on memory, turning justice into a tool of torment. Instead of restoring balance, it reopens wounds.
To break this cycle, we must first recognize the presence of this inner judge and respond with compassion. Real justice begins with mercy—toward ourselves and others. It ends not in endless punishment but in peace.
Notes
[1] Ruiz, D. M. (1997). The four agreements: A practical guide to personal freedom (p. 12). Amber-Allen Publishing.
Good one Fr John. It’s so true - we repeatedly punish ourselves and others, especially our loved ones, for the same wrongdoing!
ReplyDeleteThanks Fr John Baptist for thought provoking article. What is justice in today's world?
ReplyDeleteThanks again.
So true
ReplyDeleteThank you father
A great thought To be aware, not to be judgmental, but to be compassionate towards one Self when we commit mistake. Thank you
ReplyDelete“It ends not in endless punishment but in peace.” Consolation for a self- punishing person.
ReplyDeleteVery true dear father.. so beautifully explained... Something we need to be constantly aware of 🙏
ReplyDeleteInsightful & very true.
ReplyDeleteVery good and meaningful article. Thanks for sharing.
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