Lent 2026 - Reading #11 - Justice
Reading
C.S. Lewis, in his essay The Weight of Glory, illuminates justice by revealing the infinite dignity of every human person: "It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare." Lewis continues: "All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal." This vision transforms justice from a matter of rules and rights into something far more profound: the recognition that every person we encounter is an eternal being of staggering worth. Justice, seen through Lewis's lens, is not merely giving people what they are owed by contract or convention, but treating them in accordance with what they truly are, immortal souls destined for glory or ruin.
Reflection
Eleven days into Lent, Lewis lifts our gaze. We have been exploring justice in its philosophical, prophetic, and political dimensions, but today we encounter its spiritual ground: the immeasurable worth of every human being. Our journey through the virtues is not merely about self-improvement; it is about learning to see others as God sees them. Lewis's words should stop us in our tracks. "There are no ordinary people." If we truly believed this, how would it change the way we treat the cashier, the coworker, the family member who irritates us, the stranger on the street? Justice begins here, not in grand political programs (though it includes those) but in the daily discipline of recognizing the sacred dignity of the person in front of us. Every act of disrespect, every dismissal, every failure to truly see another person is a failure of justice. During Lent, our fasting and prayer should be sharpening this awareness. As the noise of our appetites quiets, we should hear more clearly the claims that others have upon us. Today, choose one interaction, one conversation, one encounter, and bring to it the full weight of Lewis's vision. Treat that person not as ordinary but as what they are: an eternal soul. This is justice at its deepest, and it is the foundation upon which the rest of our Lenten virtues will be built.