Remember the scene in “A Charlie Brown Christmas” where Charlie is helping his little sister write out her wish list for Santa Claus? Charlie loses heart as Sally gets increasingly greedy. When finally Charlie gives up and walks away despairing, Sally says flatly: “All I want is what I have coming to me. All I want is my fair share.”

We chuckle at the cartoon child’s justification for her inflated sense of entitlement. But isn’t there sometimes a little Sally Brown in all of us?

“We’ve insisted so much on rights we’ve created two generations of whiners who just pay attention to what people do to them,” observes Edward Mulholland, a teacher and father of five in Cumming, Ga. “But unless you’ve fulfilled all your responsibilities to others, you don’t have a leg to stand on.”

Here’s where Sally — and, at times, nearly all of us — could use a crash course on the second cardinal virtue: justice.

Maybe next time Charlie could refer his little sister, and us, to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

“Justice is the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor,” we read in No. 1807. “Justice toward God is called the ‘virtue of religion.’ Justice toward men disposes one to respect the rights of each and to establish in human relationships the harmony that promotes equity with regard to persons and to the common good.”

Put another way: Justice starts when we begin being other-centered — first on God and then on others. It helps us take our eyes off our own wants and needs, and give others what they need and truly deserve.

How to impart such an abstract concept to little, me-first minds? Begin by stressing the need to worship God, says Tim Gray.

“It’s a matter of justice,” says Gray, who with Curtis Martin co-authored Boys to Men: the Transforming Power of Virtue (Emmaus Road, 2001). “God has given us everything we have, so we owe him that worship to give him thanks and praise.”

To motivate youngsters and anyone to pray, Mulholland explains it as fundamental fairness: “God has done all these things for you. He’s asking this from you in return. Wouldn’t that be fair?”

Attitude of Gratitude

As for adults, justice must inform our attitude toward work, says Gray, who serves the Archdiocese of Denver as director of its Catholic Biblical School.

“We owe our employer the agreement that our work should be done to the best of our ability and completed to the end,” he says. “From a Christian perspective of justice, that’s an important everyday value.” He points out that, in his letter to the Colossians, St. Paul tells even slaves to work heartily as serving the Lord and not men, “knowing that you will receive from the Lord the due payment of the inheritance. … For the wrongdoer will receive recompense for the wrong he committed, and there is no partiality.”

Gray is not saying we need to work like Christian slaves — just to emulate their appreciation for the chance to serve God through our work.

Gray’s translation of this challenging concept for children and teens? “They have to apply themselves to their schoolwork and homework, doing them conscientiously and on time,” he says. “It’s a matter of justice, because someone is paying for their education and students need to respect that in gratitude.” 

“They need to respond to that opportunity and gift, using that gift well, at the same time recognizing we’re serving the Lord,” he adds. “Don’t waste the gift; it’s the whole point of the parable of the talents.”

Beth Howard, dean of students for girls in grades 6 through 12 at Pinecrest Academy in Cumming, Ga., explains this aspect of justice to students who copy other students’ homework or give excuses for not doing the work at all.

“Christ expects you to obey your teachers and balance your life,” she tells them. “The Tuesday night party and too many sports practices can’t bump homework. Christ would see you were not responsible and wasted your valuable time.”

Pinecrest teacher Mullholland sees his sophomore, junior and senior students working on the virtue of justice. They’re particularly sensitive to justice when it comes to grades on papers. If the points don’t total up correctly, he gives them the benefit of the doubt or re-corrects the paper. This shows them the importance of being just.

And it cuts two ways. He’s pleased when students bring him a test to correct that he misgraded in their favor. Justice shines in their honesty.

And, hopefully, carries over into the home — where parents are due first honor, as Gray points out.

“Fathers should never allow a child to speak to a mother disrespectfully,” says Gray. “Fathers show mothers honor and respect by defending their dignity and enforcing the mothers’ honor.”

Meanwhile, he adds, we need to keep in mind that it’s never a good idea to stress one virtue over the others to an extreme degree. For example, Gray says, it’s “very unjust to neglect your family by working excessively, being a workaholic. Here’s where the first cardinal virtue, prudence, is so important.”

Mediating Mercy

Another red flag for adults and kids alike is when justice seems unbalanced by mercy.

“Somebody might have done us an injustice that’s right to rebuke and punish,” reminds Gray. “But sometimes love goes beyond justice. Christ says love your enemy and turn your cheek.” And St. James reminds us that mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13).

Howard says that, many times, this scenario plays out in the form of gossip. Accusations sometimes fly over who said what about whom until, finally, all are in tears — and no justice has been done to rein in the original troublemaker.

“It’s hard for a 13-year-old to say, ‘I think that wasn’t nice and that’s gossiping,’” admits Howard. “In middle school I call them in one-by-one and talk about how Christ would handle the situation.” It’s also a prime time, she says, to teach ways to temper justice with mercy.

“Sometimes we say uncharitable things that lead to hard feelings, and that’s how we can fall short with justice,” reflects 13-year-old Mary Katherine Strom, a Pinecrest eighth grader. How do she and others teach mercy through kindness in this unjust situation?

“We’re always encouraging the culture of kindness here,” explains Mary Katherine. Difficult though it sometimes is when girls want to hear what’s said about others, “we all try hard to change the subject or give a positive comment to build their reputation up.”

The youngster has learned the connection between justice and mercy. “We always have to remember to be merciful because God has had mercy on us and given us a second chance,” she says. That includes being merciful with younger brothers and sisters at home when, for example, they break something of hers.

Instead of seeking absolute justice, she chooses to be merciful. “They don’t really understand,” she says. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

Staff writer Joseph Pronechen

writes from Trumbull, Connecticut.