Saturday after Ash Wednesday

I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

Varying translations of the gospel say righteous or self-righteous. I prefer the simpler righteous because, as Saint Paul says, “…there is no distinction; all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)  Since no one is righteous, I don't need to classify myself among them. In any case, it's a burden too heavy to carry. 

Periodically, the headlines are aflame with stories about innocent victims who died in this or that catastrophe. Most of the civilized world was horrified when several thousand men and women were murdered in the Pentagon and the Twin Towers in 2001. Everyone but me agreed they were innocent victims.

They were certainly defenseless. More to the point, they were undeserving of such an insane, indecent and senseless assault. No one should suffer such a barbaric death.

I don’t believe any government, organization or individual has the right to kill any human being, regardless of the victim’s innocence or guilt. Jesus has commanded us, “Do not judge lest ye be judged!” 

Murderers can be neutralized by imprisonment, for the protection of society and their own safety, without our assuming the right to judge them. Judgement is God's prerogative. Likewise, the right of revenge belongs to God. When murderers are disarmed and securely imprisoned we can love them as our enemies with the dignity and respect the “Image of God” demands. We should provide them with food, shelter, medical care, security, meaningful work and time to repent and believe the good news. If they never persuade us they have actually repented, they can die of old age in prison and be buried in the prison yard. God's mercy shines upon the just and the unjust within and outside of penitentiaries. 

Capital punishment is human sacrifice; it is supposed to cleanse our hands of the guilt we share with murderers. But because God has not demanded this sacrifice, it fails to accomplish anything. 

If we do not kill them, we must come to terms with our guilt, that Original Sin that comes with being born. These people were born in our world and among our families.  Some were assaulted violently with emotional and physical abuse, drugs and alcohol before they were born. Many suffered neglect, poverty and violence throughout their lives. They were born into the same ugly political/economic world that murdered Jesus. When he died for us, he died for murderers too. They are our children; they are us.

Embracing our guilt, freed of the burden of righteousness, relieved of the twin responsibilities of judgment and revenge, we approach Jesus and ask for mercy. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner. 

I welcome your comments.