VATICAN - Benedict XVI among the prisoners: "God is the one who proclaims justice with force, but at the same time, heals all wounds with the balm of mercy"

Rome (Agenzia Fides) - "Wherever there is a hungry man, a foreigner, a sick person, a prisoner, there is Christ himself who awaits our visit and our help. This is the main reason that makes me happy to be here, to pray, talk and listen": With these words the Holy Father Benedict XVI illustrated the reason for his visit to Rebibbia’s New Prison Complex (Rome), where he went yesterday morning, December 18, Fourth Sunday of Advent. In his speech, he answered some questions posed by the prisoners, the Pope recalled that "the Lord Jesus was imprisoned before being sentenced to the most savage punishment-death". He then cited the post-synodal apostolic exhortation "Africae munus" signed during his recent trip to Benin, Benedict XVI reiterated "the attention of the Church for justice in the States" and that "inmates are human beings who, despite their crime, deserve to be treated with respect and dignity".
"Human and divine justice are very different - the Holy Father continued -. Of course, men are not able to apply divine justice, but should at least look at it, trying to grasp the deep spirit that animates it, to enlighten even human justice, to avoid - as unfortunately often happens - that the inmate becomes an outcast. In fact, God is the one who proclaims justice with force, but at the same time, heals all wounds with the balm of mercy ... Justice and mercy, justice and charity, pillars of the social doctrine of the Church, they are two different realities only for us men, that we distinguish carefully a just act by an act of love. Just for us is 'what is due to the other, while mercy is what is givenout of goodness. And one thing seems to exclude the other. But for God it is not like that: for Him justice and charity coincide: there is no just action that is not also an act of mercy and forgiveness and at the same time, there is no merciful action that is not perfectly just".
Recalling that the detention system revolves around the protection of society from threats and the reintegration of those who did wrong "without trampling on the dignity and without excluding him from social life," the Pope stressed that "human life belongs to God alone, who donated it to us, and it is not abandoned to the mercy of anyone, not even to our free will". Finally, he cited the overcrowding of prisons and degradation, "which can make detention even more bitter", inviting the institutions to carry out a careful analysis of prison’s today and promote development of the prison system, "which, while respecting justice, is increasingly tailored to the needs of the human person, even non-custodial sentences or different forms of detention as a possible solution to the problem".
"Dear friends, today is the fourth Sunday of Advent. May the Birth of the Lord, now approaching, fill your heart full of hope and love - concluded Benedict XVI -. The birth of the Lord Jesus, reminds us of his mission to bring salvation to all men without exception. His salvation is not imposed, but comes to us through acts of love, mercy and forgiveness which we ourselves fullfil". (SL) (Agenzia Fides 19/12/2011)