In a catechism session with post-communion children, an alarming conversation arose: some had contact with the Ouija board and the so-called “Charlie game”, all through their mobile devices. At just ten years old, without full awareness of what these practices implied, they had ventured into dangerous territory.
One of the children, of special sensitivity, was uneasy after discovering that he had participated in something spiritually dangerous. Even after confessing, he feared that he had made an irreparable mistake. His question was sincere and anguished: had he lost access to heaven for having acted without knowing that it was wrong? The catechist offered him peace of mind, explaining that God’s justice does not punish those who act without knowledge or full consent.
This episode leads us to reflect on the difference between divine justice and earthly justice. In the legal field, the principle of ignorantia juris nonexcuse applies, which means that ignorance of the law does not excuse one from complying with it. In other words, even if a person is unaware of a rule, he or she is still responsible for violating it. This principle is necessary to maintain order in society, preventing ignorance from serving as an excuse to evade responsibility.
However, God, in his infinite wisdom, judges differently. The moral teaching of the Church tells us that a mortal sin is only a mortal sin if it meets three conditions: serious matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent. This means that divine justice is deeply personal and merciful, since it takes into account not only the act committed, but also the intention and circumstances of the person.
This teaching has great value for our daily lives. Wouldn’t it be desirable for our way of judging to be more like God’s? We are often quick to make judgments without considering the context or the intentions of others. But wouldn’t we like to be judged with the same understanding and mercy that God offers us when we make mistakes?
In a society that often demands immediate sanctions and severe judgments, God’s example invites us to a higher perspective, based on love and a deep knowledge of the human heart. It is not about minimizing sin or justifying wrong actions, but about applying fair discernment, which helps each person to grow and correct their path instead of condemning them without the opportunity for redemption.
This reflection is not only valid in the religious sphere, but can also be applied in our family life, in the education of children and in social coexistence. As parents, teachers and citizens, we must ask ourselves: do we act with justice when we correct? Are we fair and compassionate in our relationships? Do we judge quickly or do we seek to understand before condemning?
Imitating God’s justice does not mean giving up correctness or the duty to guide others on the right path, but rather doing so by seeking good, charity, not just mere earthly justice. In homes where a merely “human” justice reigns, based on phrases like: “I only pick up my dishes” or “yesterday I already took out the trash,” the atmosphere becomes cold, as cold as the street.
This coming 8M, let us ask for an earthly justice that protects and defends women, but let us not make the mistake of transferring that same logic to the home. Let us be clear that at home we must aspire to a higher, more perfect, more just justice. The justice of God: that of love without measure, that values intention and that gives warmth. Why not?
