Last week the young man in this photo, Manny Castillo, died as the result of an altercation during a high school rugby game. Witnesses said that the incident was not related to play on the field.
The opposing player who alleged forced Manny to the ground was charged with assault and the charges may be more severe now that Castillo has died.
The parents in grief insist that the youth who fought with their son should not be punished, that the tragic events were a result of the heat of competition and no punishment will bring their son back.
The police and crown prosecutors may well see differently. When are grace and forgiveness appropriate? As a student for the ministry I spent several months in chaplaincy at Kingston Penitentiary. Many of my parishioners were convicted murderers who would be in prison for years because of their crimes with no eligibility for parole before fixed dates. We talked a great deal about forgiveness and God's love and grace. These inmates knew that their religious convictions would not change their penalties. Most of them understood that they could be forgiven individually, but would still pay their debt to society.
What do you think?
2 comments:
It is a fine line. In this case we have not heard from the accused and what his "intentions" were. We don't know of his life circumstances and what may have set him off. There are so many things to consider that one cannot judge. That will be left up to others and that is when the fine line between Law and Grace will be seen.
True! But does the Law even know what Grace is?
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