No death for McVeigh is life for us

Timothy McVeigh, the terrorist who bombed the federal building in Oklahoma City, provides a real-life opportunity to live out what is often only a mental exercise for Christians: loving our enemies.

McVeigh, who has been convicted of eight murders, is responsible for scores more. But society should not be responsible for his death by lethal injection, an option a federal jury in Denver is weighing as The Evangelist goes to press.

After centuries of permitting the death penalty in order to protect society, the Catholic view on capital punishment is becoming more and more firm in opposing it (see article on page 1). That change is in keeping with a consistent ethic of life; it is also in keeping with Jesus's admonitions to us to love our enemies, do good to those who harm us and turn the other cheek. More to the point, He told us to reject the philosophy of an eye for an eye.

Those are tough lessons to follow when justice seems to demand vengeance, when the lives of children have been snatched by a man angry with the government and when innocent people on the job are sacrificed to his warped idea of settling a score. Jesus was never one to give us easy lessons. In fact, as He said, it's easy to love those who love us; we are called to love those who hate us.

As far as McVeigh is concerned, that means more than keeping him alive. It also means praying for him and his family just as hard and just as often as we pray for his victims and their families. Since the bombing, countless prayers have been offered during countless Masses for those who died, for those who were injured and for their loved ones. But unless we also pray for McVeigh and his loved ones, we aren't following what Jesus taught.

If Catholics truly believe what they say they believe -- that Jesus is their Lord, that all human life has value, that mercy is one of the greatest virtues -- then we must keep McVeigh alive physically. Doing so will keep us alive spiritually.

(06-12-97)

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