It's made headlines in this morning's paper: that the name of one victim is misspelled on her memorial stone, in front of Norris Hall on the Virginia Tech campus! Slain Virginia Tech professor Jocelyne Couture-Nowak's name is misspelled "Courture-Nowak."

What a screw-up!

But here's what most impresses me about the whole deal: the reaction of Professor Couture-Nowak's husband, Jerzy Nowak. He said that the school's officials apologized to him for the mistake and he said, "I feel sorry for them actually. It's another hassle, and it's a rather difficult name to spell. I wish it was proof-read before. It's not upsetting."

I don't know if Professor Nowak is a Christian. But his response is radically Christian! What grace and forgiveness.

The Christian gospel of grace and forgiveness is so radical that it is offensive to our sensibilities of what is right and what is wrong. Here's how offensive: It would be true to that gospel if the memorial would include a stone with the name of the killer himself, who also died at Norris Hall. In this world, that would never happen. That act would provoke the same sort of outrage that Jesus faced, in reaction to the radical gospel of grace and forgiveness that he enfleshed.

A prayer for today, from Ephraem the Syrian (4th century): "O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of laziness, meddling, ambition and vain talk. But give me a spirit of prudence, humility, patience and love. Yes Lord and King grant me to see my own sins and faults, and not judge my brother. For you are Blessed Forever and ever. Amen"