Parakalein

People get sad about lots of things.

Today I am sad again that we are again calling something that is understandable revenge.  We are calling justice.

Troy Davis was executed in the state of Georgia.  Regardless of apparent guilt or innocence, regardless of the presence or absence of reasonable doubt, and regardless of the emotional pain in the family of the victim no amount of justifiable homicide will ever heal the hurt and loss or appease the internal anger of this act of violence.  Nor will it deter future violence. Violence begets violence. Ignoring violence condones violence.  "Evil will never be overcome by evil.  Evil will only be overcome with a just society holds the perpetrators responsible but does not stoop to their willful and justified behavior.

The family of the victim declared that justice had been served.  Troy Davis last words were to ask God to have mercy on those who were killing him.

It is a crime against "sacred life" when any one person for any reason takes the life of another person. The sacred gift of grace and mercy are acts of compassion and kindness not acts of condoning or condemning.
In between the crime of condoning and condemning and the crime of murder and hatred is the road of compassion and kindness alongside of which are the trees of grace and mercy.  It is not about ignoring the wrong it si about not letting the wrong overwhelm the right.  Justice is present with truth and grace, accountability and responsibility are all embraced without vengeance or violence.

When God says, :Vengeance is mine, I will repay!" we assume that to justify vengeance when all it does is remove vengeance form our responsibility or right.  Justice is when all people are respected and held responsible to living in "faith hope and love" for these are the things that last forever.  Loving mercy and doing justice are inseparable.  To have them you have to walk in humility.

Humbly saddened I offer these thoughts of grace and mercy to all.