Angelus News | October 25, 2019 | Vol. 4 No. 36

But if God can make something good
out of the foibles and faults of King David
or the adulteress, he can certainly
pluck grace out of something as banal
as popular culture. This past week he
did that in a most massive way.
I had heard of the story; remember I
watch too much TV. It played in the
background of daily life: A policewoman
in Dallas somehow stumbled into
her neighbor’s apartment, thought she
was in her own apartment, and shot the
neighbor thinking he was an intruder.
The policewoman, Amber Guyger,
was white; the neighbor, Botham Jean,
dead on his own floor in his own apartment,
was black.
Television pounced.
The story had law enforcement, racial
bias, murder, everything that makes a
story “good.” The facts of the trial are
unimportant. They are unimportant
because unless you were a juror or a
member of the Texas public who sat in
that courtroom every day for the entirety
of the trial, you really don’t have an
informed opinion.
Here is what we all know for sure.
The police officer was convicted of
second-degree murder and the judge
sentenced her to 10 years in prison.
Those who wanted the officer to be
acquitted were unhappy; those who
wanted her to be convicted of first-degree
murder were outraged.
Television, as it is apt to do, fixated on
the drama of it all, but was unprepared
for what happened next. It was time for
that most wrenching of criminal trial
rituals: the victim impact statements.
This is where family members describe
how much pain they are living through
because of the actions of a perpetrator.
Guyger was weeping, alone, and
friendless in the world, when Brandt
Jean, the brother of the murder victim
got his chance to speak. He wanted
Guyger to know he forgave her and
hoped she would let Jesus into her
heart, then he asked the judge if he
could hug Guyger.
They met in the middle of the courtroom,
penitent and forgiver. Guyger
hugged Jean like her life depended on
it. Maybe it did. If this was a Neeson
“Taken” movie, the “justice” would
have been quick and brutal. But as
fleeting as that artificial nod to our broken
need for vengeance is, witnessing
the most profound and important act a
Christian can perform is lasting.
You could not find another person
with more pain and justifiable anger in
this case than the brother of someone
who was so senselessly murdered. Yet,
only his forgiveness could ever give
Guyger the spark that just might lead
to that journey with Jesus that Jean
sincerely hopes she takes.
News cycles will rotate on and the
story will be forgotten, but anyone who
claims to be a follower of Jesus should
commit the sight of Jean and Guyger
hugging to their frontal cortex. The
day may come to us when we will be
in one position or the other. And even
if TV cameras aren’t present to intrude
on the scene, let’s pray we are all up to
the task.
Robert Brennan is director of communications
at The Salvation Army
California South Division in Van Nuys,
California.
Catholic Cemeteries and Mortuaries invites you to celebrate
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS
OCTOBER 26, 2019
Santa Clara Cemetery — 2370 N. H St, Oxnard, CA 93036
NOVEMBER 2, 2019
Calvary Cemetery — 4201 Whittier Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023
11:00 am
archla.org/diadelosmuertos
October 25, 2019 • ANGELUS • 25