Sixth Sunday of Easter
Gospel of John 15:9-17
“I have told you
this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might
be complete. This is my
commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater
love than this, to lay down one’s
life for one’s friends. You are my friends
if you do what I command you. I no longer call
you slaves, because a slave
does not know what his master is doing. I have called you
friends, because I have told
you everything I have heard from my Father.
Saturday afternoon I attended our monthly Lay Dominican meeting. Each get-together begins with an opening prayer and then circle preaching: 30 minutes of shared reflections on the Sunday gospel reading. I was intrigued when our Dominican friar in attendance asked for homily advice. This Sunday he would celebrate Mass at a federal penitentiary. He asked the laity, "What would you say if you preached to a group of men who will be released from prison in less than two years?" I sat there, listening to others answer the question. My mind drew a blank!
As I drove home from the meeting, all I could think about were prisoners the friar would preach to the next day. The idea of prison ministry scares me. Personally, I could never do it. However, the incarcerated need Christ more than anybody else! Only very special people can minister to the hardest of hearts, breaking through the anger, the pain, and guilt often associated with crimes committed long ago.
Were the prisoners sorry for what they did? Did they wish they had chosen a different path in life? Did they believe that Jesus Christ still loves them despite their crimes? Did they think of Jesus as a friend?
A kid would never stand up in front of the class and say, "I want to be a criminal and go to prison when I grow up!" Prison is the last thing on anyone's mind and definitely not the preferred place to spend the rest of one's life. Yet, when people choose to steal, rape, murder, sell drugs, or embezzle the only recourse is to be put behind bars.
Prison life is not for the faint of heart. It's dangerous, ruthless, and corrupt. The principle " an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" is mainstream. I've often heard that the incarcerated "take care of their own" when it comes to justice. Pedophiles and baby killers are some of the ones targeted most often.
I once knew a man who spent five years in prison for manslaughter. He killed someone in a drunk driving accident. Later, he was re-employed at my old company. His old boss pitied him and wanted to give him a fresh start. The man was very remorseful for what he had done. He sobered up, turning back to God as well as his family after years of alcohol abuse. To this day he still shows up to work every day and is a dedicated employee. Just this past year he was granted a driver's license after nearly 10 years of suspension.
Not all prisoners are as lucky as the guy I knew. Some come out of jail just to return a short time later. These prisoners have a difficult time adjusting to a society that's not too forgiving. I don't know of many companies who will hire an ex-con. Being in prison, even if it was for a minor crime, is like being branded a scarlet letter "A" on your chest. In this case, it's a scarlet letter P.
My heart wrenches when I hear of men and women in prison for 10-20 years under false accusation. They are suddenly released, cleared of all chargers, but where do they go? Where do they turn to? How can they re-adapt to the regular world? Faith in God can help. Becoming part of a welcoming Christian community can help. Remembering that Jesus loves and forgives provides comfort. However, fellow Christians should accept these people back with open arms. We cannot and should not neglect the prisoner. Pure and simple. To lay down's one life for one's friends is to help all of those in need, especially the poor, the abused, and the incarcerated. To be a friend of Jesus is to be a friend to others, especially those we may find lowly.
Love one another as I have loved you. These words from Jesus are tough to swallow when we think of the incarcerated in prisons throughout the United States. If Jesus can forgive their crimes, why can't we forgive? If Jesus is willing to be a friend to them despite whatever they did wrong, why can't we offer friendship, too? It's controversial to want to protect a man's life from capital punishment. It's taboo to visit a prison and preach the good news of Christ. Many people rather allow those locked up to rot away, slaves to the prison system, instead of given a chance at rehabilitation and conversion.
Jesus was a friend to everybody and still is a friend today. All he asks is that we follow his commandments. Love one another. Help one another. Be joyful to one another. Spread the good news to each other. Minister to those in need - the window, the orphan, and the prisoner.
As I drove home from the meeting, all I could think about were prisoners the friar would preach to the next day. The idea of prison ministry scares me. Personally, I could never do it. However, the incarcerated need Christ more than anybody else! Only very special people can minister to the hardest of hearts, breaking through the anger, the pain, and guilt often associated with crimes committed long ago.
Were the prisoners sorry for what they did? Did they wish they had chosen a different path in life? Did they believe that Jesus Christ still loves them despite their crimes? Did they think of Jesus as a friend?
A kid would never stand up in front of the class and say, "I want to be a criminal and go to prison when I grow up!" Prison is the last thing on anyone's mind and definitely not the preferred place to spend the rest of one's life. Yet, when people choose to steal, rape, murder, sell drugs, or embezzle the only recourse is to be put behind bars.
Prison life is not for the faint of heart. It's dangerous, ruthless, and corrupt. The principle " an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" is mainstream. I've often heard that the incarcerated "take care of their own" when it comes to justice. Pedophiles and baby killers are some of the ones targeted most often.
I once knew a man who spent five years in prison for manslaughter. He killed someone in a drunk driving accident. Later, he was re-employed at my old company. His old boss pitied him and wanted to give him a fresh start. The man was very remorseful for what he had done. He sobered up, turning back to God as well as his family after years of alcohol abuse. To this day he still shows up to work every day and is a dedicated employee. Just this past year he was granted a driver's license after nearly 10 years of suspension.
Not all prisoners are as lucky as the guy I knew. Some come out of jail just to return a short time later. These prisoners have a difficult time adjusting to a society that's not too forgiving. I don't know of many companies who will hire an ex-con. Being in prison, even if it was for a minor crime, is like being branded a scarlet letter "A" on your chest. In this case, it's a scarlet letter P.
My heart wrenches when I hear of men and women in prison for 10-20 years under false accusation. They are suddenly released, cleared of all chargers, but where do they go? Where do they turn to? How can they re-adapt to the regular world? Faith in God can help. Becoming part of a welcoming Christian community can help. Remembering that Jesus loves and forgives provides comfort. However, fellow Christians should accept these people back with open arms. We cannot and should not neglect the prisoner. Pure and simple. To lay down's one life for one's friends is to help all of those in need, especially the poor, the abused, and the incarcerated. To be a friend of Jesus is to be a friend to others, especially those we may find lowly.
Love one another as I have loved you. These words from Jesus are tough to swallow when we think of the incarcerated in prisons throughout the United States. If Jesus can forgive their crimes, why can't we forgive? If Jesus is willing to be a friend to them despite whatever they did wrong, why can't we offer friendship, too? It's controversial to want to protect a man's life from capital punishment. It's taboo to visit a prison and preach the good news of Christ. Many people rather allow those locked up to rot away, slaves to the prison system, instead of given a chance at rehabilitation and conversion.
Jesus was a friend to everybody and still is a friend today. All he asks is that we follow his commandments. Love one another. Help one another. Be joyful to one another. Spread the good news to each other. Minister to those in need - the window, the orphan, and the prisoner.
“I was in prison and you came to visit me …
I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers
of mine, you did for me.” - Matthew 25:36, 40
-J.
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