Date: Friday, March 6
Scripture: Zechariah 9:11
“As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I have set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.”
by Rev Grant Ambrose, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, York, PA
The word translated as “set free” is from a Hebrew word that means “to send” and it occurs 847 times in the Old Testament. I’m not sure we often think of being “set free” as being “sent out”. However, consider the Exodus of the children of Israel out of Egypt. Certainly they were set free, at the same time, and most importantly, they were sent out – sent to the mountain of God, sent to set in motion the establishment of God’s Kingdom on Earth.
In this season of Lent, we are well served to spend some time thinking of the many ways in which we are sent out to bear witness to the love of Christ in the world. Jesus sends us out to seek to live the life that he lived: a life “to bring good news to the poor […] to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18b-19). If we truly wish to be free then we have to work to bring about Christ’s love to all areas of life. If we truly wish to be free we have to work to establish regenerative justice and confront injustice wherever we encounter it.
To be set free is to be sent in the name of Christ to help all know the freedom that is found in the unwavering Love of Christ.
Prayer: Dear God, We know that you have sent us out to bear witness to your love. Give us strength and courage to proclaim the everlasting freedom that your love brings. Amen.
Criminal Justice Fact: HB 497 and SB 832 would place limitations on the practice of solitary confinement. They would prohibit solitary for certain vulnerable populations and create a max sentence to solitary of 15 days. Both bills are currently sitting in committee.
Action: Visit the PA General Assembly website to read a summary of HB 497 and SB 832 (https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/bills/) or click on links under “Criminal Justice Fact.”
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