- Published: January 1, 2022
- Updated: January 1, 2022
- University / College: University of Kentucky
- Level: Secondary School
- Language: English
- Downloads: 5
Full Justice: Evidence of Real Love The former head of the Jesuits, Fr. Pedro Arrupe, saying, “ Our prime educational objective must be to form men and women for others, who believe that a love of self or of God which does not issue forth in justice for the least of their neighbors is a farce” means that graduates of Loyola Marymount University should go out from the four corners of the school to show genuine love to others. The concentration of the development that the reverend is emphasizing in LMU education is not limited to the knowledge and skills that will propel students to perform well in their chosen careers. Rather, his focus is on the qualitative values on a person’s character developed through honesty and integrity. Love of self and love of God can easily be mistaken to be shown by improving one’s life as a sign of respect to what God has given.
In his statement, the reverend wants to instill in the educators and students that producing academically successful students should be next to making them have desirable attributes such as being just to other people, regardless of race, gender, age, education and status as a sign of one’s love and respect to himself and to God. One who truly loves God recognizes that goodness and justice come from him so as a result, that person should show goodness and kindness to others as well. If one claims to love God but does not show any evidence through his actions, then that love is simply an empty show which could be based from knowledge alone. Therefore, the reverend said that the ultimate goal of the school should be to develop character so that the knowledge and skill acquired through education will not be wasted.
One of the famous personalities who are an epitome of loving one’s self and God is mother Theresa. The nun is highly revered for her cause towards the poor. She is known all around the world because of her love and care to them, not caring too much about who will touch her, kiss her or talk to her during her missions to where the poor people live. Her goal is not only to bring the good news to the people but also to show them in action how God loves them. She has allowed herself to be a vessel used by God to bless others and show God’s justice. She travels around the world, visiting less fortunate people, giving them food to eat and helping them in whatever way she can extend God’s love and justice. She considers all people qualified to accept God’s grace and mercy so she reflects all kinds of people the love she has known from God. She puts into action what she teaches, especially to the poor.
Perhaps, raising up Mother Theresa is already a monument that could be difficult to copy but LMU still looks forward to see more people like her go out from the school to the world to show how they have been trained to truly love God and others not upon compulsion but from the belief that to love God is to show justice to least of one’s neighbor meaning, the poor, the oppressed and helpless people. Showing justice should be a selfless act for it to be called a real expression of love to self and God, just like what mother Theresa has shown the world all through her life.