Death Row

But the other criminal rebuked him, “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Luke 23:40-41

My feelings or beliefs about capital punishment are not firm. I’m one of those who sees the validity of some parts of both arguments. Having said that, let me say that I hate any thought of a person’s last days or hours. I don’t watch those movies, even if it’s a “look they saved him,” one. I don’t knowingly read books or articles, fact or fiction, about the subject. What I know I’ve gleaned from bits of news stories and listening to other people discuss the topic. Frankly when a story or discussion involves last meals, bids for appeals, or the emotional mindset of a person in that situation, it breaks my heart. Do those people deserve that death? I don’t know. What I do know is that the worst story of that kind is the one that saved my own life.

Read a Gospel, pick one, any one and there it is, the most gruesome walk to the death story of all time. It includes details of torture, humiliation, and disrespect, at levels that seem unfathomable and unbearable. What makes it worse is that it is the story of a truly innocent man. Occasionally there is a story told of a person who was wrongfully convicted. Whether they are on death row or not there is much ado about the injustice but often when we look into the story we find that the person was a shady character or had committed some crime or crimes, just not the one for which they were convicted. Even a truly innocent human being, one who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time or who happened to look like the real guy, is not without sin. Jesus Christ was tried, if you can call that behavior a trial, tortured and executed for no reason. Not only was he innocent of any crime, he was without sin, a claim which no other person can make.

From Palm Sunday through Holy Week liturgical churches recount the events of Jesus’ final days. As soon as you get past the hosanna section it gets emotional, horrifying, depressing, sad and terrifying, in turns. Then of course, in a way no other story does it turns around to the ultimate happy ending, the victory of Easter. But those days from Palm Sunday to Easter are awful. To read about my dearest friend and wonder what his emotions were as he shared the Last Supper, prayed in the garden, was questioned by hypocritical morons, was betrayed, beaten, taunted, and finally hung on a cross. No private room with just a select few present for Jesus. His execution was the entertainment of the day. Sadly there were those who took great pleasure and found amusement in watching him suffer.

As I said, I am ambivalent about capital punishment. For the most part I do not think any of us is qualified to make a decision about when another person’s life ends. Still there are some truly abhorrent heinous criminals who may appear to deserve death. If one of those criminals were to hurt one of my loved ones my views might jump off the fence. I honestly cannot say. I do believe that an individual who can perpetrate evil on another certainly deserves punishment, but Jesus is the absence of evil. Jesus is love. He deserves praise and adoration not spit and pain.

It is the ultimate in death row stories but with a decidedly wonderful twist. Jesus conquered death at the Cross. I still hate to think about all that he went through for us but I love the results. I am grateful to live under the saving grace, the atonement given to all of us because Jesus was willing to walk through the story that makes me uncomfortable just to read.

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