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Imagine that you committed a sin (this should not be hard) and you got
caught. While Jesus forgives us our sins, society does not. So, you
serve a sentence in a correctional facility -- separated from your children,
your spouse, your family, your friends. While in "the joint",
you are surrounded by a lot of people who are not so nice to you and not the
best influences in the world.
Your dad dies while you are serving your sentence. You cannot attend
the funeral. Your children are placed in foster care. You may not
get them back again. Your family stops calling you and coming to
visit. You are not sure why. You are lonely. You have little
hope. You are just trying to survive and have not made plans for the
future. You hear of some guy named Jesus and want to learn more, but there
are no Bibles available. You finally get a Bible, but you can't read it
because you never learned how. You sink into depression.
One day, your cell opens and you are told you can leave. You have the
clothes on your back and $100 in your pocket. You go looking for your
family, where you used to live. Your supplier comes to collect the $500
you still owe him for the drugs you used to do. You give him the $100 and
a promise that you'll come up with more money soon. He offers you a hit
for show of good faith. You haven't felt good since before you were in
prison, so you take it. And you feel great for a few minutes, but then the
old cravings come back.
You find out where your kids are, but the state says you have to have a
steady job and a place for them to live before you can have them back. You
need a job, but you don't have clothes for an interview. You don't have
many skills because you don't have a degree and you've been off the market for
several years, so you don't even know how to reach old job references. You
try to get your old job back, but they don't want to hire an ex-con. You
are starving. You are cold. You are desperate.
You walk past a sign that says "Jesus" and find it is a
church. You attend the service, but everyone sits as far from you as
possible because you look like a ragamuffin and you haven't had a bath in a
week. You hear them whisper and laugh at you. The ones that aren't
laughing are looking at you with pity. The pastor is saying something
about "Jesus", but between the growling in your stomach and the
whispering behind you, you can't hear a thing.
You leave the church. You need food. You want a hit. You
still have no money. You still have no hope. Your parole officer
tells you that you need to go to some rehabilitation courses, but they cost
money, which you don't have. You are in violation of parole.
You are without hope. Life was better in jail. At least there, you
had a place to sleep, you had food, you could bathe and use the restroom.
So, what's the worst that could happen if you sin again?
This story is, of course, a dramatization. But put yourself in this
situation. No matter what your original sin, you've now gotten yourself in
a place that you can't get out of. And you are no Martha
Stuart.
Remember those in prison, as though you were in prison with them - Hebrews 13:3
The New Testament calls us to minister to those in prison. In Matthew 25, Jesus describes how those who failed to remember those who are in prison will be called to defend themselves on Judgement Day.
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An
80 page notebook (3 hole punched) with a primary section devoted to preparing
the congregation for criminal justice ministry. Biblical reflection; 2
sessions of volunteer training; Web, print and video resources; and a dozen
essays on criminal justice topics are also included. This resource is a
joint project of ELCA and LCMS.
