"That's Not Fair!"

There is a phrase that rises quickly to our lips, often before we even realise it – “That’s not fair!”

It echoes from childhood into adulthood, appearing in small frustrations and in life’s deepest wounds.

We feel it when we are misunderstood, overlooked, or treated unjustly.

Recently, while re-watching A Hidden Life, one of my all-time favourite films, one line stood out with renewed force: “It’s better to suffer injustice than to do it.”

These words challenge something deep within us. They invite us to look again at what fairness really means – and to see it through the light of the Gospel.

The Cry for Fairness and the Way of the Cross

The desire for fairness is deeply rooted in us. We long for things to be right, for good to be rewarded and wrong to be corrected. Yet the world often seems to operate differently. We see injustice go unpunished, kindness overlooked, and truth rejected.

In those moments, the cry rises within us – this is not fair.

But when we turn to the life of Christ, we are confronted with a reality that unsettles our expectations. Jesus, who is perfectly just, perfectly good, and perfectly innocent, willingly accepts injustice.

He is falsely accused, abandoned by friends, mocked, beaten, and crucified.

From a human perspective, nothing about this seems fair.

Yet it is precisely here, in the heart of injustice, that salvation unfolds.

The Gospel of Isaiah foretells this mystery:

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7, RSV-CE)

Jesus does not respond to injustice with retaliation. He does not demand fairness as we might expect. Instead, He transforms suffering into redemption.

This is the paradox at the heart of the Christian life.

“It Is Better to Suffer Injustice Than to Do It”

The line from A Hidden Life captures a deeply Christian truth. It echoes the teaching of the saints and the witness of the martyrs throughout history.

To suffer injustice is painful. It can feel humiliating, confusing, and deeply discouraging. Everything within us wants to defend ourselves, to set things right, to restore balance.

Yet the Gospel invites us to something greater.

Jesus Himself teaches:

“If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:39, RSV-CE)

These words are not a call to weakness. They are a call to strength of a different kind – the strength to refuse to let injustice turn us into instruments of further injustice.

To suffer wrong without responding in kind is not passivity. It is a powerful act of trust in God.

St Peter writes:

“When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he trusted to him who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:23, RSV-CE)

Here we see the heart of the matter. The refusal to commit injustice, even when we suffer it, is rooted in trust – trust that God sees, God knows, and God will bring about true justice.

Witnesses of Courage

The message of A Hidden Life is drawn from the real life of Franz Jägerstätter, a man who chose to follow his conscience rather than conform to injustice. His decision cost him everything in worldly terms, yet it stands as a powerful witness to the truth that righteousness is worth any sacrifice.

This witness is echoed in the lives of many saints.

St Thomas More chose to remain faithful to truth rather than compromise his conscience, even at the cost of his life. He famously declared that he died “the King’s good servant, but God’s first.”

St Maximilian Kolbe offered his life in place of another prisoner in Auschwitz, choosing love in the face of unimaginable injustice.

Blessed Franz Jägerstätter himself stands among these witnesses, showing us that holiness is often hidden, quiet, and costly.

Even lesser-known figures such as St Maria Goretti remind us that purity of heart and refusal to do wrong can shine brightly even in the darkest circumstances.

These lives challenge us. They show us that the path of righteousness is not always easy, but it is always meaningful.

Rethinking Fairness

When we reflect more deeply, we begin to see that our idea of fairness is often limited. We tend to think in terms of immediate outcomes – reward for good behaviour, consequences for wrongdoing.

But God's justice operates on a different level.

St Paul reminds us:

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21, RSV-CE)

This is not simply a moral instruction. It is a transformation of how we understand justice itself.

True justice is not about balancing scales through retaliation. It is about restoring goodness through love.

When we respond to injustice with patience, forgiveness, and trust, we participate in this deeper justice.

This does not mean ignoring wrongdoing or pretending that injustice is acceptable. Rather, it means refusing to let evil dictate our response.

It means choosing goodness even when it costs us.

The Inner Struggle

Living this teaching is not easy. Everything within us resists it.

When we are treated unfairly, we feel anger. We want to defend ourselves. We want to prove that we are right.

These reactions are natural.

But the spiritual life invites us to pause and reflect.

What if our response to injustice could become an offering?

What if, instead of reacting immediately, we placed the situation into God's hands?

Jesus shows us that suffering, when united with love, is never wasted.

This does not remove the pain, but it gives it meaning.

Practical Guidance

There are simple ways we can begin to live this teaching in daily life.

When we feel the urge to say “That’s not fair,” we might pause and ask ourselves what response would reflect Christ's love.

In moments of frustration, we can turn to prayer rather than reaction.

When we are misunderstood, we can choose patience.

When we are hurt, we can ask for the grace to forgive.

This does not happen instantly. It is a gradual process, shaped by grace.

Regular prayer, reflection on Scripture, and participation in the sacraments help us grow in this capacity.

Over time, we begin to see that choosing not to do injustice brings a deeper peace than any temporary sense of being proven right.

Weekly Challenge

During this week, we might try to notice moments when we feel that something is “not fair.”

Instead of reacting immediately, let us pause.

Let us offer that moment to God and ask for the grace to respond with patience and love.

We might quietly pray:

Lord, help us to choose what is right, even when it is difficult.

Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes, gentle mother and faithful guide, we turn to you in our moments of struggle.

When we face injustice, help us to respond with grace. When we are hurt or misunderstood, lead us toward patience and trust.

Teach us to follow the example of your Son, who bore suffering with love and transformed it into salvation.

Intercede for us in our daily lives, that we may grow in strength, humility, and peace.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

A Prayer for all who read this blog post and all who never will

Loving Father, we bring before You all who experience injustice, whether seen or unseen.

For all who read these words and for all who never will, grant strength in times of trial and peace in moments of struggle.

Help us to trust in Your justice, even when we do not understand. Teach us to choose what is right, even when it is difficult.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Final Prayer-Poem

When life feels harsh and far from fair,
And burdens seem too much to bear,
Remind our hearts in trials we face,
That love is stronger, held by grace.

When wrong is done and wounds run deep,
Help us Your patient way to keep.
Not seeking vengeance, harsh or wild,
But trusting as Your faithful child.

For though the world may fail to see,
Your justice lives eternally.
And in that truth our hearts find rest,
For choosing good is always best.

Amen.

Parish Invitation

You are warmly invited to join our parish community.

Come and take part in the celebration of Mass, where we gather together in faith and receive the grace of the Eucharist. You are also invited to experience the healing power of regular confession.

Join our parish activities, deepen your faith, and become part of a welcoming community. Our Living Rosary Group is open to all who wish to pray together and grow closer to Our Lady.

We also encourage you to read our latest parish newsletter and stay connected with parish life.

As Jesus reminds us:

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20, RSV-CE)

You are invited. Come and be part of our parish family.

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Links:

A Hidden Life (2019 film)

Franz Jägerstätter

Franz Jägerstätter - Fr. Jordi Rivero

Image of Franz Jägerstätter courtesy of Wikipedia