This essay was for me today. I have a friend in prison here in the Middle East who is doing very poorly. I am struggling to believe that God is present in her situation. I want to "be happy" because it's Christmas. But I'm turned again to longing for the second coming...the true focus of Advent. Thank you for serving those men and reminding me that I'm not alone in my service.
So many thoughts here that I resonate with as someone who has had many moments like these in jails and other places with incarcerated people. I now hold place in sacred moments with those fighting addictions, homelessness and other hells and horrors that accompany these ragged margins. Thank you for your words. I especially loved that Kenyan service linked. I was unfamiliar with this and pulled a number of beautiful liturgy sections out for further reflection and use.
Thank you, Claude. This is timely and right on. I really appreciate what you have written and the lived experiences behind your insight. Needed to hear this and know I not alone in longing for fellowship with others and the Trinity without all the glitz. 🙏
I have a friend who was in prison, and he told me that Christmas Day was the hardest day for the incarcerated. The knowledge of what was unfolding in many homes and just how far away they were from it all stung. The Christmas movies shown to them (as a treat) often added insult to injury, as few in prison had any real experience of such families and lavish Christmases as portrayed in the films.
Thank you for this, Claude. I've unfortunately spent a brief amount of time in the penal system and those services at the county jail were truly something to behold. Good work was done, may it keep being done. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Thank you for writing this, for highlighting that our Gospel and our celebration of all that is truly holy, is often times found in the cracks in between.
May God continue to bless you in your prison ministry and in the way you show up for people and on the page.
This essay was for me today. I have a friend in prison here in the Middle East who is doing very poorly. I am struggling to believe that God is present in her situation. I want to "be happy" because it's Christmas. But I'm turned again to longing for the second coming...the true focus of Advent. Thank you for serving those men and reminding me that I'm not alone in my service.
Tears in my eyes at “Man, I’m excited for this!” Much love.
So many thoughts here that I resonate with as someone who has had many moments like these in jails and other places with incarcerated people. I now hold place in sacred moments with those fighting addictions, homelessness and other hells and horrors that accompany these ragged margins. Thank you for your words. I especially loved that Kenyan service linked. I was unfamiliar with this and pulled a number of beautiful liturgy sections out for further reflection and use.
Thank you, Claude. This is timely and right on. I really appreciate what you have written and the lived experiences behind your insight. Needed to hear this and know I not alone in longing for fellowship with others and the Trinity without all the glitz. 🙏
I have a friend who was in prison, and he told me that Christmas Day was the hardest day for the incarcerated. The knowledge of what was unfolding in many homes and just how far away they were from it all stung. The Christmas movies shown to them (as a treat) often added insult to injury, as few in prison had any real experience of such families and lavish Christmases as portrayed in the films.
Thank you for this, Claude. I've unfortunately spent a brief amount of time in the penal system and those services at the county jail were truly something to behold. Good work was done, may it keep being done. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Thank you for writing this, for highlighting that our Gospel and our celebration of all that is truly holy, is often times found in the cracks in between.
May God continue to bless you in your prison ministry and in the way you show up for people and on the page.
🙏🏻
Beautiful truth. Thank you.