The Moral Arc of the Universe Bends Towards Justice

Acts 25:6–12

“After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him. When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them. Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.” Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?” Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!” After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”

With these verses I am prompted to pray for justice and especially over those whom God entrusted its administration. God judges ultimately and no one can escape His reach. He does let us have the sacred freedom of our own understanding by which we evaluate right and wrong or what’s good or bad for ourselves and our communities; He gave us limited understanding that we may seek His wisdom and guidance through His Holy Spirit: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight (Prov 3:5-6).” Let us pray for our judiciary that there will be wisdom, that judges and justices may see beyond self-interest and the interests of the rich, the vocal, the powerful, and the influential alone, and discern acknowledging God and upholding the rule of law. Although God makes allowance for human liberties, even the free will to disobey Him and His laws, which makes the system inherently flawed and such impiety costs the society, distorts the truth, creates injustice, I trust and have faith that God’s ultimate justice will eventually prevail, much like the injustice levelled by wicked humanity upon His Son, vindicated by His glorious resurrection (Acts 2:23-24). 19th Century American preacher Theodore Parker, who called for the abolition of slavery wrote in one of his sermons, “I do not pretend to understand the moral universe, the arc is a long one, my eye reaches but little ways. I cannot calculate the curve and complete the figure by the experience of sight; I can divine it by conscience. But from what I see I am sure it bends towards justice.” May the women and men of our courts have the heart and mind like that of King Solomon at his most righteous when they put on their robes and be seated at their bench of duty, with the prayer: “Therefore give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?” (I Kings 3:9)