Will you pray for bombing suspect?

April 20, 2013
Kurt Wiesner

The Huffington Post asks, “will you pray for the bombing suspect?” Over 50% of people (as of Saturday morning) say yes:

…. prayers of another kind also poured out online: those for Tsarnaev. The teenager had been on the run since he and his brother killed a Massachusetts Information of Technology police officer and wounded a Boston transit officer Thursday night, authorities said. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was caught hiding in a boat behind a house in Watertown, west of Boston. His brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was killed during Thursday’s shootout.

“A wise young lady just reminded me that as we pray for everyone in Boston, we must pray for this 19 year old too…because we’re Catholic,” tweeted the Rev. Manny Alvarez, a priest in the Archdiocese of Miami, shortly after the arrest.

“We also need to remember to pray for the suspect, because we are Catholic. He is also a child of God, after all,” said the editors of news website CatholicaOmnia on their Twitter account.

Will your church pray for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev? Will you?

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Vida L. Fonseca

April 21, 2013 12:43 pm

I, too, have been praying for him. At one time he was a nice, funny kid with many friends who spoke positively of him even after. I pray for the lifting of whatever spirit there is in this world that is driving people to such violent despair and that it be replaced by a spirit of hope, endurance, empathy, goodwill and community.

Peter Pearson

April 21, 2013 8:18 am

Absolutely. I will also expect my government to give him the same rights ensured by our constitution and that he does not become a sacrificial victim to the fear or revenge of the mobs. It’s frightening how many patriots overlook the fact that this kid has rights. It makes me so sad.

tgflux

April 21, 2013 2:52 am

For Christians, is this a serious question? AS IF a follower of Jesus wouldn’t/couldn’t/shouldn’t pray for someone, just because they (it is alleged) committed serious sins?

A church that would refuse to pray for the Tsarnaev brothers—for mercy upon them, alive or dead—should close up shop.

JC Fisher

…not that we shouldn’t have compassion upon those victims of the bombing who can’t (yet) find it in their heart to pray for them. It’s Both/And.

billydinpvd

April 20, 2013 10:19 pm

I remembered him and his victims at Mass today.

Bill Dilworth

Christi Hill

April 20, 2013 9:54 pm

Of course I pray for Dzhokhar. He is one of God’s people. That he is/was misguided increases his need for prayers.

wpDiscuz

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