Conscience as a gift.

Two words appear more often than usual in public spaces these days—law and Justice. The times when society in search of Justice is subjected to the confusion of overly complicated laws repeat themselves cyclically throughout history. In ancient Rome, there was a well-known sign: “Too much law, not enough justice!”

A good law is a gift, so we use the word lawgiver. However, the law can also try to silence the truth and rape Justice. Blindfold, sword, and scales are attributes of Justice. It should be impartial, judge objectively, and have the power to punish. At its service is a prosecutor, a defense attorney, and a judge. They are all very fragile parts of an apparatus with power, and power is temptation. One of them is the tendency to listen to the crowd’s call.

Let’s not forget the crowd shouting: “Barnabas!” or “Christians ad leones!” Not so long ago, the judicial apparatus sent many of the now-blessed to the hell of prisons and labor camps. Gustáv Husák also found himself in that hell together with them, which is why he belonged to the presidents who generously granted pardons and amnesties. 

It is no coincidence that one of the works of corporal mercy is the redemption of prisoners. We often rely on God’s mercy and believe in forgiveness. God has given us a gift in the form of a conscience that admonishes us. Let’s use this Lenten season to talk to him.

A senior Prison and Judicial Guard Corps officer once told me that people convicted of an unintentional crime fall into two groups. The first one is in prison for no reason because the most significant punishment is the voice of their conscience for life, and the second one will wait out the sentence because she has no conscience…