Revenge

Since the tragic accident a few days ago my mind has turned toward revenge. At the coffee hour yesterday after the Liturgy people were talking about how they wanted to kill the person that threw the rock over the bridge. How tragic that would be also. I spoke with many of them about the difference between revenge and justice. Revenge is not ours to seek. Vengeance is mine says the Lord. The person responsible will have to answer for their actions some day. However, justice is another matter. We can seek justice and make the person pay. But how much should one pay for a crime such as this? Life in prison? Maybe hit them in the head with a rock. I know this is hard to grasp, and hard for me also, but we need to seek justice and learn to forgive. That is what Christ would want us to do. Not become door mats in any sense of the word, but forgiveness. In the Divine Liturgy we pray for those who love us and those who hate us. In the Lord’s prayer we pray to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Isn’t that what the Christian life is all about? Forgiveness? Well, something to ponder on this hot day.