Resurrection and Release

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! I am rejoicing today because of the opportunity the LORD is giving me to minister to young men in prison. As you know, I regularly visit Justin Thompson and Eric Singley. I also visit a young man named Dan Wickenheiser, referred to me by Ron and Justin. David Linn has recently referred me to a young man known to his family. I will see him next week. And Marika Ramirez, who connected to us through Peter's Porch and has worshipped with us a few times, has a husband in state prison and a brother who will enter LCP next week. I will see her brother on Monday and again after he enters LCP. That means I will soon be visiting with five young men in their walk through the criminal justice system. God has called and sent me to them. And by extension, God is calling this congregation to embrace them as well. We are challenged by this Word from the gospel of Matthew to see the Lord Jesus in the prisoner. We can exercise great mercy and compassion and grace by reaching out to them, many of whom are struggling with various forms of abuse, pain, or mental illness. The stygma attached to one who is part of the criminal justice system doesn't go away. They are social outcasts, deviants, who will have a harder time re-integrating as a result of their criminal behavior and subsequent detention. 1 in 31 adults in the US is in prison or under some management by the CJS. That's five times higher than any other country in the world. Over half of those who enter the system will return to incarceration within three years of their release.

We are a people whose goal is reconciliation through forgiveness, which leads to repentance and the amendment of life. As we know repentance is not a once-and-done formula for successful avoidance of sinful behavior. We are called to repent, to reorient our lives around the ways of Jesus everyday. Some of us are more actively involved in the spiritual process of repentance and renewal. Some of us haven't connected the depth of our sinfulness with a need to be changed. None of us are yet imitating Christ. But we are called to seek His ways. Baptism is God's promise of resurrection and release from Sin that opens the way for repentance and reformation to occur in our lives. My prayer is that each of these young men will be lead by the Holy Spirit to repentance and to reconciliation with God that leads to new life. What they have taught me is that I am also a sinner in need of God's mercy and grace who seeks to be part of a community of believers who trust that Jesus offers us the forgiveness we need, and don't deserve, in order to live lives that are pleasing to God the Father. They have also shown me how judgmental and dismissive the church has been toward troubled or prodigal souls. We are as guilty as they are when we turn our backs on them, handing them over to a system that will not assure them a chance at amendment or reconciliation or reformation. I am a firm beleiver that the criminal justice system is necesary and important and that some people need to be held accountable to it. I also believe that we cannot abandon anyone to that system. We are invited by Jesus to take part in it and to bring to it the gifts of faith, hope, and love.

We must also begin to count them as part of this community of faith. They are not "members" but they belong to us. We have been given stewardship of their souls by the Holy Spirit. So I may suggest that we begin to count our weekly "attendance" differently. Whose spiritual needs did we attend to this week? In worship. in visitation of homebound, prison bound people. At Peter's Porch. In this gathering or that service. I think we would do well to observe the care of souls in these ways.