Whenver the death penalty comes into the news, some will seek to justify it, claiming that killing a murderer is simply justice.
Some will even cite the following verses from the book of Exodus to justify their claim:
If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. (Exodus 21:23-25)
For those who follow this logic, if someone kills another person, that person deserves death.
St. John Paul II's view
St. John Paul II witnessed many atrocities during his lifetime and was confronted with this question of justice during World War II.
He knew people in Poland who believed the only way to combat the Nazi Occupation was to fight and kill their oppressors. While that certainly was an option, St. John Paul II chose to fight evil with poetry and theater.
Later on when he was elected pope he penned the encyclical Evangelium Vitae, where he spoke directly about the death penalty:
[T]here is a growing tendency, both in the Church and in civil society, to demand that it be applied in a very limited way or even that it be abolished completely. The problem must be viewed in the context of a system of penal justice ever more in line with human dignity and thus, in the end, with God's plan for man and society. The primary purpose of the punishment which society inflicts is "to redress the disorder caused by the offense".
He went on to explain that, "It is clear that, for these purposes to be achieved, the nature and extent of the punishment must be carefully evaluated and decided upon, and ought not go to the extreme of executing the offender except in cases of absolute necessity: in other words, when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society. Today however, as a result of steady improvements in the organization of the penal system, such cases are very rare, if not practically non-existent."
The death penalty should not be justified by an "eye for an eye" mentality. If it were ever to be used, it would have to be in such a rare case that someone would be a threat to society.
This is one of the reasons why Pope Francis asked for an adjustment to the Catechism of the Catholic Church to reiterate this point that the modern-day justice system has made the death penalty unnecessary.
The Church teaches that each person was made in the image and likeness of God. Even a murderer has human dignity that we need to recognize and respect.
There is always the chance of repentance and conversion while a person is alive and this is something we should all hope and pray for.
It's important to remember how Jesus brought-up the verse from Exodus:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. (Matthew 5:38-42)
Christians are called to think differently about justice and not to lash out at a person, calling for their death. Instead, we need to be calling for their conversion.
