Proper 13C / Ordinary 18C / Pentecost +11
What is the point of prison?
Hosea 11:1-11 or Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23
Psalm 107:1-9, 43
Colossians 3:1-11
Luke 12:13-21
With over two million men and women incarcerated in America today, and millions more under custodial supervision, it is perhaps time to ask ourselves, what’s the point?
“WHO SET THE CAPTIVES FREE”
Colossians 2:6-15 (16-19)
As I lay still in my cell,
wondering why I am still
awake.
My heart is eager oh Lord,
until the morning comes
of which I can hardly wait.
NOTE: The views expressed on Prison Lectionary are those of the individual author of each post and do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrators of Prison Lectionary.
“There is an illusion of central position, justifying one’s own purposes as right and everybody else’s as wrong and providing a proper degree of paranoia. Righteous ends, thus approved, absolve of guilt the most violent means.” – Henri Amiel –
“Kill ’em With Kindness”
I am an inmate in a Virginia correctional facility and I have been in prison for the better part of a quarter of a century and I am shocked by the level of senseless violence that has been occurring in this country lately. Before I came to prison events like the one that took place at Pulse in Orlando, Florida the site of this nation’s worst mass shooting to date was almost unheard of. But now these incidents are so commonplace the main issue of them is often overlooked as we debate the reasons of how such crimes are committed in the first place. And it will not be until we do address what makes a person commit mass shootings will we ever hope to prevent tragedies such as this from ever happening again.
Many have been touched by recent violent events in the United States and, thankfully, some have been moved to action. Over the next week or so, it will be our honor to share a few of those responses by prisoners. Please stay tuned and, if you like what you read, please share your thoughts in the comments section.
NOTE: The views expressed on Prison Lectionary are those of the individual author of each post and do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrators of Prison Lectionary.
Amos 8:1-12
Psalm 52 or 82
Colossians 1:15-28
Luke 10:38-42
Amos is one of the most relevant books of the Minor Prophets, and one of the least known. Sequestered at the tail end of our Old Testament, these books sit seldom used. Called “minor” only because they pale in length compared to Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel (doesn’t everything). These are not minor words from God. Some of our great treasures, like words to “do justice and love mercy,” or the timeless tale of Jonah and the fish, come from these books. It is from Amos that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King quoted when he cried for “justice to roll on like a river.”
by AMN
Psalm 82
“The Office of God”
In this Psalm of Asaph, the psalmist rightly talks about who is actually in control of everything and those who abuse God’s office of being a Judge and diviner of justice will one day have to answer for their doings; including those who sit as appointed officials in our government.
Galatians 6:1-16
“Restoration”
by AMN
“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest you also be tempted.”
This verse is the essence of what being a follower of Jesus Christ is all about, but the hardest to execute among each other. I know, I myself, find it hard to exact the same kind of forgiveness that I expect to get for my shortcomings and give it to someone else.
Luke 9:51-62
“The Manner of the Spirit”
by AMN
In this passage, Jesus is on his way back to the Holy City and he stops by a Samaritan village on his way there. The Samaritan villagers give him unwelcoming gestures to leave their village because they know where he is headed. For those of you who don’t know the times, Jews and Samaritans had a very strong dislike towards each other. The Jews thought them to be lesser than them because the Samaritans’ fellowship with God got watered down over the centuries.
Luke 23:34
“Life”
(to accompany the drawing “Life”)
Falsely accused, used, and abused, beaten
torn apart. The question screams within
my heart. Why must i live in fear, is
this the vision of my life, not clear, in my
eyes all you’ll see is sadness, surrounded
by all this madness. not so long ago, i was
left for dead, my tears dripped of blood so
red. they could fill a river, i start to shiver.
Sorrow and moaning was all one could
hear, is some one near. i closed my swollen
eye, that is black as night. prayed to the
lord, “forgive them father. they don’t know wrong
from right. My Life to you i give, for you, i want
to live.” i hear a voice say “you have done your best.
it’s time to rest, your sins are forgiven. close
that door. i wait to give you so much more.
if you stumble or fall, call on the name of
Jesus Christ. i will hear your call. so
rise up. stand tall.”
Prison Lectionary 