Retribution or Forgiveness?

Stephen French of Ocean City pleased guilty Aug. 17 to driving while intoxicated and to aggravated manslaughter. He had driven into three bicyclists on Ocean Drive in Egg Harbor Township, killing Richard H. Branca, 17.
The accident happened July 14, 2006. He has been free on bail the last 13 months.
French, 55, will be sentenced Sept. 27 as a result of the plea bargain. He could get a sentence of 16 years, and would have to serve at least 85 percent of the term, nine years and three months.
“I think it all sucks,” said Branca’s mother, Sherri, “but the quicker I get that man in jail, the better.” She said she’ll fight against any parole.
“I want him to suffer,” she said.
I doubt many of us would fault her feelings.
But there is another attitude: forgiveness.
Anglican Bishop N. T. Wright argues in “Evil and the Justice of God” that Jesus took our sins upon himself and that we should follow by repenting of our sins and offer forgiveness to others.
The book was reviewed by Rev. Michael P. Orsi, who has served a number of Catholic parishes in Cape May County including Stone Harbor, Wildwood and Cape May. Fr. Orsi is a research fellow at Ave Maria School of Law in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Wright, points out Orsi, says forgiveness “is the knife that cuts the rope of sin, anger, fear, recrimination and death.”
Orsi points to the timely and inspiring example of when the Pennsylvania Amish community extended forgiveness to the murderer of their school children last year.
I’m sure many of us have had fearful moments, when we thought of dangers to our loved ones. And many of us have wondered how we would react if an evil person did them harm. Lead the charge to retribution or extend forgiveness?