Thank you Deacon, for the nudge and reminder that we all need to do more for our neighbors and the least of us. When I was an evangelical, I used to imagine that Jesus was keeping score, almost a like naughty and nice list like Santa Claus. The more I grow to understand the nature of Christ as a Catholic, I see that it’s all about love. Love is Jesus’s currency. Christ’s love of us and His desire that we should love each other as ourselves. I find myself wanting to do these corporal works of mercy more and more, as I draw closer to Christ.
Your Homily has encouraged me to reach out to a Deacon friend of mine that works in a prison ministry to see how I can be of service. I was a police officer for many years, and prisoners have a special place in my heart. You don’t get much more rock-bottom, least of all humans than someone that been imprisoned. While most are there because they deserve to be and they are a danger to society, they are still our fellow humans and deserve our compassion.
I am very glad to hear that my homily has blessed you and encouraged you in this way. Jail and prison ministry is something very dear to my heart, because when I was first ordained, my pastor at the time who is now retired, and myself were working with a gentleman who had been in jail and was trying to turn his life around. Life for him was a constant struggle.
I have come to believe that that is the case with many prisoners. Yes, a lot of the people you will meet are quite hardened for various reasons. But you will meet a few, like salt and pepper, who are aching for the message and the teaching of Jesus, and they're looking for someone to reach out to them.
I want regret is that I'm not physically able to do more of that Ministry now, because I really do believe that it is vitally important.
Thank you Deacon, for the nudge and reminder that we all need to do more for our neighbors and the least of us. When I was an evangelical, I used to imagine that Jesus was keeping score, almost a like naughty and nice list like Santa Claus. The more I grow to understand the nature of Christ as a Catholic, I see that it’s all about love. Love is Jesus’s currency. Christ’s love of us and His desire that we should love each other as ourselves. I find myself wanting to do these corporal works of mercy more and more, as I draw closer to Christ.
Your Homily has encouraged me to reach out to a Deacon friend of mine that works in a prison ministry to see how I can be of service. I was a police officer for many years, and prisoners have a special place in my heart. You don’t get much more rock-bottom, least of all humans than someone that been imprisoned. While most are there because they deserve to be and they are a danger to society, they are still our fellow humans and deserve our compassion.
I am very glad to hear that my homily has blessed you and encouraged you in this way. Jail and prison ministry is something very dear to my heart, because when I was first ordained, my pastor at the time who is now retired, and myself were working with a gentleman who had been in jail and was trying to turn his life around. Life for him was a constant struggle.
I have come to believe that that is the case with many prisoners. Yes, a lot of the people you will meet are quite hardened for various reasons. But you will meet a few, like salt and pepper, who are aching for the message and the teaching of Jesus, and they're looking for someone to reach out to them.
I want regret is that I'm not physically able to do more of that Ministry now, because I really do believe that it is vitally important.