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HERALD Columnist |
I have read with interest the recent articles and letters in the HERALD discussing the death penalty issue. Particularly thoughtful was the letter "A Life Cannot Be Given Back" (ACH 7/22/99). The writers called for a moratorium on executions "so that we may consider the morality and usefulness of this most final of punishments." (As an aside, they also urged all writers to the HERALD to be respectful in tone to all, even those with whom they disagree. I second that motion. Name calling and sarcasm should have no place in our Catholic press.)
The death penalty is not pleasant to think about. I never thought much about it until the last few years. But now Virginia is becoming known as an "execution state" because of the large number of people put to death here. Our Church leaders, Pope John Paul II and the American Catholic bishops, have spoken out strongly against the death penalty. As Christians, we are going to have to think about it and take a stand one way or the other.
It surprises me when lifelong Catholics, always loyal to the teachings of the Church, are not open to change on this issue. Change is difficult. I know that there have been times when I have held certain ideas for so long that it was hard to let go of them. It was not easy to admit that I might not be right, to look at it from another perspective, or to start thinking differently. Habits of thinking, like all habits, are hard to break.
We know that our Lord is always inviting us to come up higher, to break with some of our old habits and ways of thinking and step up closer to Him. Whether we need to let go of old prejudices, old resentments or judgments of others, there is nothing in us that is so hard that God’s grace cannot melt it. No matter our age, God can teach us old dogs some new tricks of love. All we need to do is open our hearts just a little. God can set us free.
Sometimes there is doubt about the guilt of a person who is sentenced
to death, but most of them are probably guilty of terrible crimes. In thinking
about the death penalty issue, I finally realized that it’s not about them
as much as it is about us. The question is not so much what they deserve
as how we are going to treat them. Are we going to treat them like animals,
or are we going to come up higher and show mercy? And is it really a matter
of ‘us’ and ‘them’? We are all sinners. We need not worry that anyone will
"get away with murder." God will do the judging and His justice will be
perfect.
What a wonderful time to be a Catholic — to see our Church leaders inviting us all to come up higher and respect all human life, even the lives of those who are not so easy to love.
Mary D. is a Catholic freelance writer who lives in Northern Virginia.
Copyright ©1999 Arlington Catholic Herald, Inc. All rights reserved.
This article was published in the Arlington
Catholic Herald,
200 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 607, Arlington, VA 22203; Vol 24, No 37,
page 5, dated September 16, 1999.
.
E-mail:
letters@catholicherald.com
Fax: 703/524-2782;
Editorial: 703/841-2590;
Advertising: 703/841-2594;
Circulation: 703/841-2565
A note from the Web Master:
It is noteworthy and honorable that some folks are willing to stand up for a ban on Partial-Birth Abortion. Let us not forget that ordinary everyday run of the mill abortion is also murder. We must understand that aborting the life of a baby is murder no matter the method. Because one method of abortion seems to be horrible does not make the other methods less so. We should be horrified and sickened by any abortion regardless of the method. The Fifth Commandment spells it out clearly:
"Thou shalt not kill."
A fetus is a person, a human being with a God given soul.
Imagine the pain the Lord must feel when any abortion occurs. Please
contact both of your Senators and Representative, via letter or phone,
to let them know how horrified you are that abortions are legal and to
stop, once and for all, Partial-Birth abortions and all other abortions
as soon as possible.
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