Orędzie Ewangelii jako wezwanie do czynienia świata bardziej sprawiedliwym

Abstract

The idea behind this article was inspired by John Paul II’s sermon, which was based on the Gospel of Matthew with regard to the issue of justice and delivered in Bydgoszcz on June 7, 1999. The article begins with a philosophical and biblical definition of ‘justice’, and then goes on to provide a thorough analysis of the issue of justice in the Gospel of Matthew. The subject matter is discussed in four passages which describe just people as those who act according to God’s Word revealed in the authoritative teachings of Jesus Christ (Mt 5, 6); are ready to suffer for faithfulness to God and will retain fortitude in the face of sacrifice (Mt 5, 10); transcend any minimalist approach in their lives (Mt 5, 20); and love all those in need, even the smallest ones (Mt 25, 31–45). This message on justice, as taught by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew and referred to by John Paul II in his Bydgoszcz homily, is continuously advocated by the Church with its call to make the world fairer. The article also makes a reference to the Pope’s analysis of the contemporary world in his adhortation Ecclesia in Europa. In this document, John Paul II explicitly demonstrates that those ways of thinking and acting that are not based on God’s Word have no future in the Europe of the third millennium. This justifies the importance and topicality of the issue of justice from the evangelical (Matthew’s) point of view.