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Lord, Have Mercy
Again.
As I write this, the University of Virginia campus is still in lockdown, but word is that the suspected gunman has been apprehended.
Three dead. Two injured, still receiving medical treatment. Senseless.
The suspected gunman, a university student, was praised as a young man who had made it to Charlottesville from a disadvantaged background. Single mother, worked evenings, left him to care for and feed his siblings. Moved several times, ending up with his grandmother. Found a mentor in high school, where he succeeded in the classroom and on the football field. Only graduate from his school that was admitted to UVa.
But he had anger issues. Not unusual for his circumstances in life. Struggled with controlling his temper. Even got some help in dealing with it. But....
A Sunday night in the parking garage. Something ensued but no details as of yet. A gun, too easily procured by anybody in this area, is drawn and channels anger or fear into the bodies of five others.
Six lives directly affected, scarred for life. Many others left with questions, sorrow, loss.
Parents of many young people, including some of our own, get the dreaded call. “Mom, there’s a shooter on campus. We’re locked down. But don’t know anything more – yet.”
More needs to be learned, but no doubt the call for “justice” – vengeance, retribution, punishment – will shortly be trumpeted by many in the community, the school, and the media.
Our church (ELCA) has a social statement, written in 1991, that addresses the issue of the Death Penalty. In it, we affirm that government is an instrument instituted by God for the sake of the common good – to protect, to provide order, to enhance life. As such, government is bestowed with the power to enforce laws and to punish offenders, even to the extreme of putting someone to death for the sake of the safety of others.
Yet, like all human enterprises, government isn’t perfect. Not only is human judgement involved, but human society and all its influences, prejudices, emotion and history are as well. It’s easy to look at the individual criminal act in isolation from all other contributing factors. Justice is supposed to be blind, but not ignorant. Wisdom and honesty must always temper justice.
Since human beings are fallible, the innocent have been executed in the past and will
inevitably be executed in the future. Death is a different punishment from any other; the
execution of an innocent person is a mistake we cannot correct. It is because of this
church’s concern regarding the actual use of the death penalty that we oppose its
imposition.
It is a sad but telling commentary that our newest worship book, All Creation Sings, has several prayers written for use in light of mass shootings. I close with one of these prayers (pg. 49).
Lord Jesus Christ, you own mother looked on when your life ended in violence. Our hearts are pierced with grief and anger at the mass shooting in Charlottesville. We commend the slain to your wounded hands, and their loved ones to your merciful heart, trusting only in the promise that your love is stronger than death and that, even now, you live and reign forever and ever.
Amen.
Shalom.
Pr. Mark
Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with God.
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