Date: Tue, Mar 10th
Scripture: Matt 5:14
“You are the light of the world.”
When is the last time you saw God’s light shine? When is the last time you stood in the presence of something so holy it took your breath away? For me, it happened during a memorial service in prison. A mother had requested a memorial service for her son that had died from opioid overdose.
During the service, we sang a song that the women loved called “I Can Only Imagine”, by Mercy Me. This song imagines what it will be like to stand before God one day: “I can only imagine what it will be like when I walk by your side. I can only imagine what my eyes will see when your face is before me. I can only imagine.” We played this song after reading the words of the gospel of John, where Jesus describes a house with many rooms, a place of peace and welcome for his children.
As the music softly played, the mother started to sob uncontrollably. And as her body literally shook with grief, the woman next to her reached out her arm and placed it around her shoulders. Then the woman on the other side did the same thing. And then another woman walked across the room, got down on her knees and held the grieving mother’s hands as she sang along to this song, loudly singing while looking into her eyes. But instead of singing “When I stand in your presence, when I walk by your side” she sang “When Tyler stands in your presence, When Tyler walks by your side.” She sang the entire song using the name Tyler, the name of the young man who had overdosed.
This group of women- all of whom have been labeled criminals, all struggling with addiction, poverty, and for most, chronic homelessness- these women, known by a number and not by a name- shone with the light of Christ’s love and it was holy. It was holy ground, and if I had been wearing sandals I would have taken them off.
Prayer: God, help us to recognize your light shining in those in whom we least expect it, and empower us to share your light with others as well. Amen.
Criminal Justice Fact: The use of solitary confinement has grown substantially in recent years, by as much as 42% between 1995 and 2005 according to estimates.
Action: Write an Op-Ed to your local newspaper about the need to reduce the practice of solitary confinement in PA. For resources to help you craft an op-ed, visit: https://pachurchesadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Letters_to_the_Editor.pdf
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