“For I was in prison and you visited me.”

In Matthew 25, Jesus’ famous image of the Last Judgment, a number of social ministries are offered as expected responsibilities of the follower of Christ. In this passage Jesus tells us that these responsibilities are benchmarks for entering the Kingdom of Heaven. In today’s day and age many Christians tend to view passages such as this or the beatitudes as a good philosophical notion that merits some consideration. Others may appreciate and emphasis the spiritual dimensions of their faith. In these cases they may perceive the faith as something greater than a philosophical notion and fully appreciate the salvific quality of eternal life. However, in some of these cases, the responsibilities with regard to salvation are sometimes lost within the personal devotional practices. In Matthew 25 Jesus rejects both perspectives.

Consider the image that is being used here, the Last Judgment. To follow Jesus is not to follow a competing philosophy. It is to follow a divine mission whose ultimate benefit is eternal life. Eternal life, Heaven, Kingdom of God, these are terms that we use to comprehend a greater form of existence. The theologian or the clergy cannot offer you a comprehensive image of what this looks like. But what we now through faith is that we are invited by Christ to share in the ultimate form of existence where we can consciously be part of a divine community with God and Christ. Furthermore, as witnesses to the Resurrection, we have a basic awareness of this existence through Christ. In Matthew 25, besides emphasizing that are salvific goal is beyond the secular world of today, Jesus also offers the benchmarks from which our actions will be judged. These are all specific actions of social responsibilities:

• Providing food, drink and clothing to the poor
• Hospitality, welcoming the stranger
• Caring and healing the sick and infirmed.
• Ministry of presence with those in prison

These are all acts of charity that we are called to fulfill. All four of these can be addressed individually and socially. On our own we can volunteer or help run a Parish or Community ministries that provides direct service. As a political community we then should advocate for policies that address the social issues of:

• Poverty and economic development
• Immigration, refugee and displaced peoples
• Healthcare
• Restorative justice

We are called to fulfill both the individual and social applications of these works of charity. They are not options for our choosing. In whatever capacity we have to do these acts of charity we are called to do so.  

Besides offering retreat and parish ministries individual members of the Passionist lay and vowed community have engaged in many of these individual and social ministries. In 1852 when the first four Passionist came to America one of the first ministries that a couple of them engaged in was with the sick and orphans. But one of the founders, Fr. Stanislaus Parzyk, CP also engaged in visiting and being present to a man who was in prison awaiting execution.

In upstate NY the community of the Our Lady of Hope Parish has organized a ministry of presence by writing letters and cards to people in prison and to those who are in death row. As one can imagine many of these people are in a point in their lives where they really need to relate with otherse with regards to where they are in their lives and to share and discuss personal and spiritual matters. Next week I will be sharing some of the stories from members of this parish community regarding their wonderful act of charity. One of their leaders, Kathy K. had told me that it was her pastor who suggested that while she continues to work for the abolition of the death penalty that it was also important for her to also get to know and share about the real people who are in Death Row. Through this pastoral suggestion a committee was formed to do this valuable ministry of presence.

People in prison and on death row are people who are suffering. Society has the legitimate responsibility to provide for the safety and security of the community. Our Christian obligation does not undermine this in any way when we provide avenues of forgiveness, reconciliation and presence to those who are marginalized in prison.

One Response to ““For I was in prison and you visited me.””

1. Linda Pischke says:

   April 12, 2010 at 10:17 pm

   Thank you for your inspirational blog. This is a valuable ministry.