Matthew Chapter 5 (Revised Standard Version)
[43] "You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' [44] But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [45] so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. [46] For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? [47] And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? [48] You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
I read a comment on National Review.com's "The Corner" which was posted by Mike Potemra which better expresses where I'm coming from than I can myself.
JOHN PAUL II, RIGHT ON [Mike Potemra]
Pope John Paul II today prayed to God for forgiveness for the September 11 attackers, and in doing so offers us an opportunity to draw some very valuable moral distinctions. I, too, ask God to forgive the attackers, even as I ask Him to forgive my own sins. But that act of petition to God does not remove the hijackers--or their supporters, or their would-be imitators--from the arena of human justice, where their past evil acts must be punished, and their future evil plans thwarted. While seeking God's mercy for the terrorists, the Pope made clear that there can be no moral justification for their evil act: "No situation of hurt, no philosophy or religion can ever justify such a grave offense on human life and dignity." This is an important rebuke to those--whether on the right on the left--who believe America's foreign policy, or its system of freedom, was somehow to blame for September 11.
Posted 2:52 PM | [Link]
Personally, I can understand completely the feelings of people on both sides of this. I still feel A LOT of anger towards those who perpetuated the terror attacks on our country. But at the same time, Jesus calls me to be perfect, as the Father in heaven is perfect, which is also means They are calling us to be holy and to be merciful. We must answer this call to the best of our ability.