Dear Dzhokhar

This is still condition love. Mike loves him so that he can change to know what Mike thinks is best for him. This kind of love does not cause any changes in a person since it is still conditioned. Only when we can love him as he is without condition like God loves all of us that this love can change him. Can you really love him as a son of God and see him as God sees him?

-- I don't hate him either. I am a Catholic. But this case calls for the death penalty, not as revenge, not as a deterrent, but as protection for the rest of us, from him. If he is allowed to live, he can, in some way, at some time, cause others to die, or to suffer grave harm, and that is not a risk worth taking. Let him repent, if he will (I bet he won't), but we are finished with him. Upon conviction, he can only be sent to God, who will pass judgement on his soul.

Methinks this a bit pompus. What ever hapened to "Innocent Until Proven Guilty" . We don't know the full circumstances yet...and we might never know. But at least for this time being, how about a letter to everyone, saying this person might well be our own child, brother, cousin, friend. I bet you would not judge your own child (if you had one) guilty before our court system had a chance to convene. I think writing a "forgiveness" letter is a nice idea but presumptuous since God only knows who is guilty. And writing a "forgiveness letter", using an assumption of the person's guilt without their day in court is a bad example. We all must do better than that.

Thank you for this very prayerful and powerful reflection. I, too, hope we do not execute Dzhokhar; that would simply perpetuate a culture of death. The merciful God of the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament is the same merciful God sought by those who read and honor the Koran.

@Kittywest If you had read the letter thoroughly, you would have known that he is from Boston and now lives in Rome. Although, he was not found guilty by a court, I think it is pretty obvious that he is, once he started throwing bombs and shooting at the police. I truly believe you missed the entire point of this letter, and are only trying to take your anger out on this person.

Reverend Mike, unfortunately, it must not have been too difficult for you to have written this letter when apparently no one among your family or friends was killed or injured by the abominations this young man perpetrated. And, yes, he is innocent until proven guilty in a fair and lawful trial. As well meaning as your letter is intended to be, perhaps a respectful silence for those effected would be more appropriate. Let the law take its course. The law is there to seek to restore justice, not to exact revenge. This terrible tragedy reminds us that there is evil in the world. We should neither co-operate with nor dismiss evil and its terrible consequences. Abraham Joshua Heschel wisely noted that if G_D is thought to be "Judge," He is also "Father" No father would judge his child without being merciful. From this it follows that G_.D's judgements are redemptive, not vindictive. But, we are not G_D. Let the courts do their work. Let justice be done. Afterwards, there will be time enough for mercy.

Dear Mike, I am glad you don't hate 19 year old Dzhokhar, but I don't think it is fair of you to condemn him before the fair trial to which he is entitled. Are you so sure he is guilty? Don't you think you are prejudging based on scant evidence? Can you not wait until everything is brought out in a court of justice, not on the mass media court? Everyone, even terrorists, are entitled to the presumption of innocence. As you are a future jesuit priest, I would expect from you more discretion and discernment.

Dear Fr. Martin, I don't think Mike's letter that you transcribed in the magazine is something to be proud of. In fact, as I read it for the second or third time I become more convinced it was written without due consideration. I understand his feelings, but I believe that when Mike states once and again, "I don't hate you..." he discovers his true feelings by those repetitions. Perhaps very natural feelings, but nothing to be proud of or even worse, not examples of what a jesuit should express.

I find something missing here. Is no expression of outright anger ever allowed in Christianity while rushing in with peace and love? I'm not talking about anger that festers into rage, but anger openly acknowledged as an expression of horror and injustice. As for innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, yes of course in legal matters, but in reality, based on unimpeachable evidence of a confession by the older brother, the videos, the eyewitness account of Jeff Baumann (who lost both legs), who looked Dzhokhar straight in the eyes as he put down the bomb, let's at least accept the on-the-ground facts of who did what.

Bostonians and all to God we pray – Our thoughts for people traumatised by amputation; Shower your blessings on those who lost loved ones; The tragic incident in Boston on Monday afternoon, Our wish that whatever caused the tragedy, Nowhere people would ever experience similar event. In our hearts we remember those who died, A prayer that they now rest in your eternal peace. No more heinous attacks but only acts of kindness. Saving God may peace prevail, in Boston, and elsewhere. Amen.

It is very understandable that people respond with anger, fear and sorrow to the bombings in Boston, but please let us not kid ourselves. Some hope that Dzhokhar will spend many long years in our Supermax prison which means in exaggerated solitary confinement. If that isn't hate, what is?

Surprised a Jesuit scholastic would say "would have went."

Mike has a very generous heart. And like many, he's trusting and adopting the false narrative peddled in the public square and pulpits that the God of Judaism and Christianity, and the god of Islam, are the same. Truth is light. The truth is revealed in Koranic texts and the other authoritative sources for Muslims. The most devout, pious, dedicated followers of Jesus Christ are saints who leave legacies of life-giving love, fortitude, etc. Now, have you ever wondered why the followers of Islam who are the strictest adherents to the teachings of the Koran, those who most closely and devoutly follow doctrinal commands of Islam, are those who leave behind destruction and death? The Koran is available online for those who seek moral wisdom on this issue. Matthew 10:16

What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty? We are told many things that just aren't true by the media. These boys are being sentenced in the media without their day in court. Being Catholic you think the memory of the inquisition might just have you take a step back and look around at all the inconsistencies, before casting the first stone. Or are we starting a new inquisition where just an accusation is good enough to chase you down and kill you in the street like a dog. I also had family that was injured in that event. I also want justice. But I'm not willing to give up my liberties and my freedoms to rationally investigate inconsistencies because that is exactly how we lose them. Your forgiveness to these boys is laughable in that you have convicted them without proof, without evidence, without testimony. Unfortunately your opinion is parroted by millions who haven't taken the time to look at the inconsistencies in this event and believe everything that is throw at you by the media. That's why they call it programming.

Sure, everyone has opinions, but they are only opinions. In order to do justice we need both facts and procedures to support the facts. The media can dig up facts but only the courts through our adversarial procedures can give us a certain assurance of the validity of the facts. Let´s wait until a court veredict is reached. Even then we should be careful in condemning anyone.