As one of the Dark Knights for Marvel Comics, the Punisher has spent thirty-five years punishing the guilty — killers, rapists, psychos, thieves, and sadists — that have preyed on the victims of crime.
Like Batman, Frank Castle’s family was murdered by “the one that got away”: using his intelligence, skills, and military and law enforcement years to wage a one-man war against evil. But unlike Batman, the Punisher will not stop his crusade against until he has destroyed every last criminal on Earth — knowing that to stop the monster, he may have to become that monster.
The murder of his family led Castle to probably turn his back on his Catholic faith, asking God why would he let good people like his wife and children die while those that have broken the law with no regard to human life whatsoever are alive. It is the same with all of us: questioning God and His goodness. If God is so all-powerful and good, why would He let evil and suffering in this world? Is there such a thing as justice? Is justice and revenge one and the same?
We can be mad at God for as long as we want, but He’s not the enemy. He is the Lord that is the name above all names: the defender of the weak, the protector of the innocent, the champion of all things good, for He is good all the time. He is light, incorruptible, pure as the driven snow, and loved because He is kind and gentle. God isn’t there for us when everything is great, but is there for us all through the good, the bad, and the ugly; all we must do is trust God with everything in our lives as well as deciding to accept or reject Him.
We all feel the need for retribution and payback against those that have wronged us, but in the end, it won’t make us feel better. No matter how good we think the intentions are, the ends doesn’t justify the means because that’ll make us no better than our enemies; we’re not fighting evil but helping it. Sometimes, we even misinterpreted the Bible such as quoting the Golden Rule from Matthew 7:12 and “an eye for an eye”. That don’t mean it gives us the opportunity to get even, for we shouldn’t have tried to be judge, jury, and executioner; that’s up to a court of law.
Though there’s crime and corruption within the system as well as in the world, there is such a thing as justice, which can be define as fairness, balance, and harmony. Revenge, on the other hand, is only about focusing on our pain. If we care about justice, then we must stand up for the innocent, helpless, and powerless. We have to look beyond our own pain and think about ways to aid the needy, the oppressed, the widows, the motherless and fatherless orphans, as well as show mercy and compassion to our enemies.
It’s not going to easy, for it is a growing process to love and forgive when others hate, give when others take, and help when others abuse.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good – Romans 12:21
