Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner

I hope it can be seen how in this last Sunday's scripture, the humility and repentance tax collector's prayer is the example of how we should live out the previous Sunday's lesson of the unjust judge and the woman seeking justice. Although we are tempted by cultural conditioning to read the word "justice" and think in terms of the aims of "Social Justice" and activism when we hear Jesus say in scripture: "I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily," we are immediately given the example of the tax collector's humble prayer, and hear the fullfillment of the promise that links these two reading: "I tell you, the latter went home justified"

Justice properly sought (leads to) Justification received

The key here is that God's mercy is strictly speaking completely gratuitous, and yet as the Fathers teach us, God has chosen to bind himself to us in this way, and the justice asked, is given speedily as justification, a "due good."

The simple communitative justice which hearts of good will are drawn to seek, because it is a dim reflection of the goodness of God, has not been promised in this life; rather, we are admonished to be just, but to bear injustice with calm equanimity.