I once heard that life is all about the dash. On every tombstone there are at least three recognizable elements: The date of birth, a dash, and the date of death. Neither the day life commences, nor the day it ends are of great significance. What is important is the dash, what you do with the life you were given while you are on this earth. Sadly, we often use the simple past tense when talking about someone who died: A person was born, grew up, aged, and died. While accomplishing these milestones, that person may have gone to college, gotten married, had children, or vacationed in the Caribbean. But now, some time after the person’s funeral service, most people other than immediate family and friends may have a hard time remembering anything of significance about the person. Certainly, the person changed the lives of his immediate family, but for others beyond the relatives, their memory fades rather quickly. They were good, but mostly unremarkable people. They lived and died, and the world remained mostly unchanged after they left. Or at least that is how it looks to many. 

I prefer the Greek perfect tense over the simple past. This tense is used to describe an action in the past which continues to produce results in the present. The expressions, “I am baptized, I have believed, I am married…” all took place in the past. There was a time when I was taken to a church and a celebration, which we call Baptism, took place. The effects of that celebration, however, remain in the present. In a way, what I am saying is that “I was baptized, I am baptized, and I will continue to be baptized tomorrow, should I still be alive.” Let me give you an example from 1 John 1:3: "What we have seen and have heard we proclaim to you also." In other words, “What we have heard, we continue to hear. We experienced it personally, and now we proclaim it to you because we continue to experience it daily.” There are hundreds of such uses of the perfect tense in Holy Scripture and I love many of them. 

I believe the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been a beautiful tapestry that demands we use the perfect tense to describe it. Much of what this giant accomplished during her incredible career continues to have substantial effects in the present. In fact, it would be appropriate to add the future tense to that perfect tense, and say that, God willing, these actions will continue to have effects in the future.   

In 1973 this former Rutgers University Professor (My Alma Mater,) joined a substantial case on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union before the Supreme Court of the United States. This case allowed spouses of female military personnel to be declared dependents of their wives. Up until that moment, only women and children could be considered dependents of military service people. In 1974, again in front of the Supreme Court, she argued in favor of a Florida widower who had been denied a $500 property tax exemption. Up until then, Florida only granted tax exemptions to widows. In 1975, she argued for the elimination of gender-based distinctions in Social Security Benefits (Again taking the case of a man.) Until that time, only women and children qualified for Social Security benefits. In cases were the mother was the one who died, only the children would receive the benefits and not the husband. In 1976, Ginsberg argued in favor of husbands receiving Social Security benefits from their wives even when they had not been receiving half of their support from the wife at the time of her death. Finally, in 1978 she argued against the unconstitutionality of automatic exemptions of women from jury duty upon request.  

Since her appointment to the Supreme Court in 1993, Ginsberg has been a champion for women’s rights. Just two examples of this are the full inclusion of women in the military and the passing of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, signed into law in 2009, which she championed after writing the dissenting opinion on that case years earlier. Thanks to many of her efforts, women are now protected against discrimination when purchasing real estate property in their own names, applying for credit cards, requesting bank loans as sole signatories, participating at all levels of our political life, earning equal pay for their labor, and so much more. 

The life of this great woman, described as a rather humble, unassuming, witty, and brilliant person by those who knew her, is a testament to the indescribable power of justice in action. Methodically, slowly, and with fierce determination, Ginsberg pushed the boundaries of her world to open horizons of possibility for millions yet to come. Not just women, but all of us, are the benefactors of her tireless life of service. She will forever be an inspiration to me, and I find myself giving thanks to God for her. May we prove ourselves worthy of her sacrifice. May we too become beacons of hope in a dark world.

And may God continue to bless us all,  

Fr. Roman+