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She Forgave her Muslim Murderer

"Martyr" is Greek for "Witness," a Witness of Christ's Forgiveness

On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” (Rom 12:20; cf. Prov. 25:21,22) 

We all heard the story about the nun murdered in Somalia after Pope Benedict XVI’s talk in Regensburg. In this talk, he discussed the role of reason in faith, yet Muslims construed his talk as an energetic attack on Islam. (That itself says something.) (See my editorial on this topic here.)

On Sunday, Sept. 24^th, at Castelgandolfo, the Pope’s summer residence just outside the city of Rome, our beloved Holy Father Benedict said something most moving at his Wednesday Audience.

“Sometimes, certain people are asked fro the supreme testimony of blood, which also happened a few days ago to the Italian Religious, Sr. Leonella Sgorbati, who died a victim of violence. This Sister, who served the poor and lowly in Somalia for many years, died with the words, “I forgive,” on her lips: this is the most genuine Christian witness, a peaceful sign of contradiction that demonstrates the victory of love over hatred and evil.”

Curiously, her name was not released when the murder happened. I can only conjecture why; and, supposing the best in people’s hearts, I think her religious order wished it so not only out of modesty for the greatness of Sr. Leonella’s forgiveness, but also to avoid any semblance of accusation.

Perhaps the questions we all need to ask are these: If a Christian killed a Muslim because he was a Muslim, would the victim offer forgiveness? Would the Muslim world respond as peacefully as the Christian world did to Sr. Leonella’s murder? Would Islam hold the forgiving victim up as the example for all to follow? And, finally, why did entire Muslim parliaments condemn the Pope, but not condemn the vile action of this murderer?

No, Gentle Reader, not all religions are the same. Not all religions demand the love of God and neighbor to the point of dying for him; there are some that demand the hatred of neighbor to the point of dying to kill him. Let us continue down the humble road of love and forgiveness of our enemy, for this is how God treats us who make ourselves his enemy every time we sin (cf. Col. 1:21).