“Good lawyers must know that there truly are heavenly proportions to the toil that we do on this side of life, and in so knowing are moved to submit to Him every outcome, even as we must presently apply ourselves to approximating, albeit faintly, what peace and justice on the other side of eternity can look like in the here and now.”
This is one of the key messages contained in the speech of Supreme Court Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, chairperson of the 2022 Bar examinations committee, delivered at the oathtaking of 3,992 new lawyers on Tuesday, May 2. Lawyers, the neophyte and veterans alike, should take to heart the counsel of Justice Caguioa. His advice is centered not just on our existence on this planet, but life beyond—how it looks like, and how lawyers must try to approximate it That could be a tough task, but it’s a win-win situation if lawyers are to render justice to all. As the Bible states in Zechariah 7:9, “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.” Both the Holy Bible and the Constitution recognize the power of God. This is the key in ensuring that justice is rendered to all. In the Bible, Proverbs 16:3 states, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” On the other hand, the 1987 Constitution opens with the preamble that states that the Filipino people implore the aid of Almighty God, in order to build a just and humane society. Apart from submission to God, Caguioa told lawyers that “even as they are critical thinkers and compassionate advocates, good lawyers must also be true, to themselves as to others, and in that honesty navigate legal problems with creativity, innovation, and a healthy imagination of how a resolution can serve most if not all parties concerned.” “Courage must be so fueled by love—of country, of the law, of others—that their resolve to fight on becomes unshakeable, with their conviction running deep, but their love and compassion running deeper still,” Caguioa added. With submission to the Lord both anchored on the law of God and men, lawyers will never go wrong if they heed Justice Caguioa’s advice to submit to Him every outcome of their decision-making process. By submitting to God, lawyers are bound to succeed in giving justice to their own calling and to all stakeholders. Even Jesus Christ, who is God the Son, acknowledges the importance of submission to God. In John 5:30, Christ was quoted saying: “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” And by submitting to God, everyone is assured that justice is for all—not just for the elite, the powerful, and the wealthy, but even for the disadvantaged and those living on the fringes.