Sorry!
Stories
LECTIONARY TALES FOR THE PULPIT
Series III, Cycle A
What if Judas hadn't betrayed Jesus? What if Judas wasn't sorry? What if Judas had been a good man and could resist the temptation of money?
I asked my confirmation teacher this and he just stared at me. I think he was a little surprised that I even wondered, or perhaps he thought I was being facetious. He told us that someone had to betray Jesus or the truth from Scripture wouldn't be fulfilled. I had to think about that.
Judas had to betray Jesus; Judas had to be a traitor. We don't. But we find ourselves hardly being able to resist the temptations around us: food, money, possessions. What if we yield to these temptations and are later sorry? That's what happened to two boys, Chato and Gordito Gringo.
Chato, meaning "flat nose," was a tall boy with a pock--marked face. He wore a red bandana so low one could hardly see the slits of his half--closed eyes. He was part of a gang, and he was known for his cruel antics during a new gang member's initiation. He was responsible for an amputated thumb, an eye that was poked out, and numerous burns on limbs. He vehemently denies that one boy is sterile due to electrical burns. Chato was not afraid to administer electric shock or give cigarette burns or cuts to these young boys during his initiations. His victims were those who professed they wanted to be a part of the gang. He intended to have them prove they could stand up to the leaders and "take the heat." Chato was mean.
Gordito Gringo, which means "fat white boy," was also tall. He was also very heavy. Weighing in at almost 300 pounds, he wanted to be a part of the gang. The trouble was that he wasn't very agile, he wasn't very clever, and he wasn't very fast. But he was Chato's best friend, and he wanted the prestige of riding in a low--rider car with girls at his disposal. He wanted to be cool. He and Chato had grown up in side--by--side duplexes; they had known each other their whole lives. Chato had seen Gordito's father die in gang crossfire. Gordito had seen Chato's mother beaten half to death by a jealous boyfriend. They knew the others' sisters intimately and there was hardly anything they wouldn't do for each other. They were inseparable, and Gordito wanted to be in Chato's gang.
Chato wanted Gordito to be in the gang too, but he had to convince the hierarchy. The "hierarchy" consisted of three seventeen--year--olds who led the gang. They determined when there would be a rumble with the neighboring gang. They determined when there would be a drive--by shooting. And they determined who could be in their esteemed organization. They had a proliferation of girlfriends, all "tested" for purity and willing to be devoted to their leaders. Venereal disease was rampant and pregnancy was commonplace. Chato, being the lead initiator, had access to the girls, drugs, and weapons.
So it came time for Chato to initiate Gordito. It was a chilly night. Chato made Gordito drink gasoline, eat dog feces, and ride around naked on the back of a truck. Gordito was encouraged because Chato had promised him he'd go easy on him. Still Chato had to show Gordito was a "man." He put an electrical wire up Gordito's nose and zapped it. Gordito didn't seem to notice. Chato upped the voltage and put the wire on Gordito's chest. He pushed the button. Gordito had a strange look on his face and fell forward. Chato's eyes grew wide and he laughed. Gordito - what a cut up! He had almost convinced Chato that he was dead or something. What a guy! Chato would have to up the voltage. He kicked Gordito, causing him to roll over.
Gordito didn't look right. His eyes were open and the brown parts were looking upward. But it didn't look like he was looking at anything. Chato poked him with his foot, yelling for him to get up. By now Chato was getting worried. Gordito was like a brother to him and he had never seen Gordito look like this.
A policeman saw Chato bending over Gordito; Chato was arrested. Gordito had died there naked on the grass outside the schoolyard trying to become a "man," trying to become a part of the gang. Chato had finally gone too far. The mixture of gasoline, the toxicity of the feces in his system, and the electric stimulation to his heart was too much for Gordito. They say he died instantly.
Chato went to prison. He was expelled from his gang. Getting caught was bad; getting arrested was a cardinal sin, unforgivable with no chance of ever rejoining the gang. Chato had no one to turn to.
Chato was sentenced to life in prison. He sat in the Youth Authority and then the Men's State Prison for five years before coming out of his shell. He doesn't talk much about those five years. He was so humiliated for being caught. He grieved for having killed his best friend. But after several years at the men's prison, he joined the group of men who made jeans. These men wielded scissors, needle and sewing machines and sewed jeans. Chato says it took many, many years to admit he loved sewing. He enjoyed the progression of cutting many layers of denim, of piecing and pinning the jeans together and finally sewing them into jeans. He thought they came out rather nicely.
It was not long after this that Chaplain Rique, also a Chicano, met Chato. Chaplain Rique was a former gang member who was now a priest. He visited the men in the prison and shared his personal story of a brother and father who were gang members, of a mother who had eleven children with nine different men, and another brother who died in a gang fight. Chaplain Rique knew what he was talking about; he had the stories and battle scars to show for it. The tattoo that covered his entire right calf was clearly visible when he swam laps at the prison pool. He talked to the men, got them to open up, and got them thinking about the past, present, and future. Many would never see a free day again, but some were on their way to being paroled. What would they do? How would they react? How would they resist temptation?
Chaplain Rique was a true friend, spending days at a time with these men. He loved them dearly and he told them that God loved them. But somehow he could never get it through Chato's head that he was forgiven. He cornered Chato and made him tell the tragic story of Gordito. The priest finally understood.
"You can never take back what you did. Gordito will never come alive again. But you are alive; you are walking and breathing. What are you going to do for the rest of your time here?"
It took many, many months of talking, but finally Chaplain Rique was able to convince Chato, whom he now called by his given name, Javier, to go with him to schools. The city's population was 83 percent Chicano. They needed one of their own to talk to them and share the realities of gang life. Chaplain Rique was proud to introduce Javier. And Javier talked and talked. He shared the temporary glory of belonging to a gang. He shared his story, his fears, and his despair. He shared how lonely it was in prison, how rough the others were, and what a terribly useless life he led. He did not mince his words; he was clear in his message: gangs were nothing to be glorified.
Javier is still sorry to this day. He knows that being sorry is no longer productive or good for anything, but he grieves his mistake. He also knows he has been forgiven. He is still in prison, but he visits many schools across the state, sharing his story and warning of the false lure of girls, drugs, and weapons. He feels if his experience can help just one person in the audience resist temptation, then it will be worthwhile.
I asked my confirmation teacher this and he just stared at me. I think he was a little surprised that I even wondered, or perhaps he thought I was being facetious. He told us that someone had to betray Jesus or the truth from Scripture wouldn't be fulfilled. I had to think about that.
Judas had to betray Jesus; Judas had to be a traitor. We don't. But we find ourselves hardly being able to resist the temptations around us: food, money, possessions. What if we yield to these temptations and are later sorry? That's what happened to two boys, Chato and Gordito Gringo.
Chato, meaning "flat nose," was a tall boy with a pock--marked face. He wore a red bandana so low one could hardly see the slits of his half--closed eyes. He was part of a gang, and he was known for his cruel antics during a new gang member's initiation. He was responsible for an amputated thumb, an eye that was poked out, and numerous burns on limbs. He vehemently denies that one boy is sterile due to electrical burns. Chato was not afraid to administer electric shock or give cigarette burns or cuts to these young boys during his initiations. His victims were those who professed they wanted to be a part of the gang. He intended to have them prove they could stand up to the leaders and "take the heat." Chato was mean.
Gordito Gringo, which means "fat white boy," was also tall. He was also very heavy. Weighing in at almost 300 pounds, he wanted to be a part of the gang. The trouble was that he wasn't very agile, he wasn't very clever, and he wasn't very fast. But he was Chato's best friend, and he wanted the prestige of riding in a low--rider car with girls at his disposal. He wanted to be cool. He and Chato had grown up in side--by--side duplexes; they had known each other their whole lives. Chato had seen Gordito's father die in gang crossfire. Gordito had seen Chato's mother beaten half to death by a jealous boyfriend. They knew the others' sisters intimately and there was hardly anything they wouldn't do for each other. They were inseparable, and Gordito wanted to be in Chato's gang.
Chato wanted Gordito to be in the gang too, but he had to convince the hierarchy. The "hierarchy" consisted of three seventeen--year--olds who led the gang. They determined when there would be a rumble with the neighboring gang. They determined when there would be a drive--by shooting. And they determined who could be in their esteemed organization. They had a proliferation of girlfriends, all "tested" for purity and willing to be devoted to their leaders. Venereal disease was rampant and pregnancy was commonplace. Chato, being the lead initiator, had access to the girls, drugs, and weapons.
So it came time for Chato to initiate Gordito. It was a chilly night. Chato made Gordito drink gasoline, eat dog feces, and ride around naked on the back of a truck. Gordito was encouraged because Chato had promised him he'd go easy on him. Still Chato had to show Gordito was a "man." He put an electrical wire up Gordito's nose and zapped it. Gordito didn't seem to notice. Chato upped the voltage and put the wire on Gordito's chest. He pushed the button. Gordito had a strange look on his face and fell forward. Chato's eyes grew wide and he laughed. Gordito - what a cut up! He had almost convinced Chato that he was dead or something. What a guy! Chato would have to up the voltage. He kicked Gordito, causing him to roll over.
Gordito didn't look right. His eyes were open and the brown parts were looking upward. But it didn't look like he was looking at anything. Chato poked him with his foot, yelling for him to get up. By now Chato was getting worried. Gordito was like a brother to him and he had never seen Gordito look like this.
A policeman saw Chato bending over Gordito; Chato was arrested. Gordito had died there naked on the grass outside the schoolyard trying to become a "man," trying to become a part of the gang. Chato had finally gone too far. The mixture of gasoline, the toxicity of the feces in his system, and the electric stimulation to his heart was too much for Gordito. They say he died instantly.
Chato went to prison. He was expelled from his gang. Getting caught was bad; getting arrested was a cardinal sin, unforgivable with no chance of ever rejoining the gang. Chato had no one to turn to.
Chato was sentenced to life in prison. He sat in the Youth Authority and then the Men's State Prison for five years before coming out of his shell. He doesn't talk much about those five years. He was so humiliated for being caught. He grieved for having killed his best friend. But after several years at the men's prison, he joined the group of men who made jeans. These men wielded scissors, needle and sewing machines and sewed jeans. Chato says it took many, many years to admit he loved sewing. He enjoyed the progression of cutting many layers of denim, of piecing and pinning the jeans together and finally sewing them into jeans. He thought they came out rather nicely.
It was not long after this that Chaplain Rique, also a Chicano, met Chato. Chaplain Rique was a former gang member who was now a priest. He visited the men in the prison and shared his personal story of a brother and father who were gang members, of a mother who had eleven children with nine different men, and another brother who died in a gang fight. Chaplain Rique knew what he was talking about; he had the stories and battle scars to show for it. The tattoo that covered his entire right calf was clearly visible when he swam laps at the prison pool. He talked to the men, got them to open up, and got them thinking about the past, present, and future. Many would never see a free day again, but some were on their way to being paroled. What would they do? How would they react? How would they resist temptation?
Chaplain Rique was a true friend, spending days at a time with these men. He loved them dearly and he told them that God loved them. But somehow he could never get it through Chato's head that he was forgiven. He cornered Chato and made him tell the tragic story of Gordito. The priest finally understood.
"You can never take back what you did. Gordito will never come alive again. But you are alive; you are walking and breathing. What are you going to do for the rest of your time here?"
It took many, many months of talking, but finally Chaplain Rique was able to convince Chato, whom he now called by his given name, Javier, to go with him to schools. The city's population was 83 percent Chicano. They needed one of their own to talk to them and share the realities of gang life. Chaplain Rique was proud to introduce Javier. And Javier talked and talked. He shared the temporary glory of belonging to a gang. He shared his story, his fears, and his despair. He shared how lonely it was in prison, how rough the others were, and what a terribly useless life he led. He did not mince his words; he was clear in his message: gangs were nothing to be glorified.
Javier is still sorry to this day. He knows that being sorry is no longer productive or good for anything, but he grieves his mistake. He also knows he has been forgiven. He is still in prison, but he visits many schools across the state, sharing his story and warning of the false lure of girls, drugs, and weapons. He feels if his experience can help just one person in the audience resist temptation, then it will be worthwhile.
