Profile of a Prisoner: Jesus of Nazareth
A sermon preached by
Rev. Louann Roberts
First Baptist Church, Palo Alto, CA
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Text: Matthew 25: 31-46
One day a few years ago I was asked by an officer at the jail to come visit an inmate who was very upset. When I got there I was shocked to see a young man that I knew. I had known this kid since he was about 12 as he had been a friend of my kids when they were young and was at our house every day. Suddenly, the image changed for me. I was no longer reaching out to just another prisoner, I was reaching out to one of my kids.
I think of this as I speak to you about Matthew 25. Jesus’ listeners must have been shocked to have their image of the needy suddenly switched from faceless and nameless people to that of the Lord Jesus himself.
Our passage describes a mystical connection between Jesus and the least of these brothers and sisters. Jesus’ orientation to the helpless came from his knowledge of God as the defender, protector, rescuer, provider, savior and refuge of the poor. God has decided the best way to help the least of these is become one of them. This seems to be Christ’s way of getting things done – he assumes the identity of the helpless one – the servant, the marginalized, the sinner, the executed.
According to Mat 25, Jesus is a prisoner in our county jail. One of the 4500 incarcerated in our county.
In my context of being a chaplain in the SCC jails, and particularly to 500 women at Elmwood. They represent Jesus in my world. Years ago I prayed that I might know Christ better. That’s about the time God called me to the jail. Watch out what you pray for!
Instead of talking about our text and my ministry in terms of faceless and nameless prisoners, I will you about what it’s like for Jesus in jail. I hope that my descriptions of Jesus in jail will help to us to hear this passage afresh. Jesus in jail - is as Mother Teresa would say, in a “distressing disguise”.
Vs 35. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.
When these words were written in the middle-east:
Hunger and thirst - worst kind of lack,
An arid land, meant a lingering death.
Hunger and thirst were connected with war, with wandering, with shame.
Poverty is still connected with shame. Jesus is most often poor when he comes to jail. Those who have $ can often get out on bail. Poverty is not improved by incarceration – but compounded.
Federal and state laws deny CALWORKS (aid and food stamps) to individuals convicted of a drug-related felony. This means that thousands of people getting out of jails and prisons every year receive no help to get back on their feet.
CIC Ministries chaplains, often are asked to help find resources for the homeless when they are released. Chaplains met with 1000 inmates last year to help them find resources for food and programs upon release.
I was a stranger and you invited me in.
It was clear in OT admonitions for the treatment of strangers and aliens that God’s people were to care for foreigners, not oppress them, or take advantage of them but help them because they had no rights and to remember what it was to be a refugee in Egypt.
In NT, hospitality to strangers figures into many of Jesus’ parables.
You may not know it, but the SCC DOC has a contract with the federal government to house prisoners being held by ICE –Immigration and Customs Enforcement – the largest investigative branch of the Department of Homeland Security.
I met Jesus many times in those who were incarcerated for illegal entry to the US. I remember when he looked like two east-Indian women:
o Mrs Malik and her 21 year old daughter. The mother was about 60 years old and the daughter about 21. They had been arrested at the SF airport. They were so frightened, they just gripped one another. Probably would have taken a crow bar to remove the girl from her mom.
- Mrs. Malik and her daughter were citizens of India. Her husband had died suddenly a few months before. An engineer – they had been living in Iran – on contract there. Her husband had been on contract in US before as well. Their sons had settled in the US, becoming citizens. They were traveling to Chicago to visit her sons and their families as they had done many other times before. It had been a long flight - several layovers and they were tired. When they came through customs in SF, the customs agent found a couple text books in the daughter’s bag. They asked her why she brought these. A local college in Chicago allowed her to take a class - going to stay a couple months. They told her she didn’t have a student visa and this was against our laws.
- At their request, I visited them every day for the next 10 days, making time for their questions and to hear their suffering…. The mother kept saying to me – please, we will go back, we’re sorry, we love the United States, my husband loved the United States, we will go back. I had to try to explain that I did not have the authority to release them. I was able to let call her son. He came flew out and got them an immigration attorney. After about 2 weeks, the court finally deported them without an option to ever return. Before they left, the mother thanked me and said, “I’ll thank God for you on my last breath for helping us.” I was just grateful to visit Jesus in his time of need.
Vs 36. I needed clothes and you clothed me.
Almost every day, I meet Jesus and he has no place to live when gets out of jail. Sometimes he has no clothing when he gets out and must be released in a white paper bunny suit. I will probably see this homeless Jesus back in jail again.
In San Jose there is a great need for safe housing for those who are:
- Mentally ill and developmentally disabled people.
- The chronic poor and addicted
- Victims of human trafficking
- Victims of domestic violence for which there are an inadequate amount of shelters.
Jesus’ situation is often worse when he gets out than before he was arrested. He/she may have now lost their job, their housing, their property. Chaplains meet with inmates requesting help for housing and we make referrals for shelters, etc. Another small way CIC helps is by collecting sweat pants and sweat shirts that can be given to inmates who have nothing to wear upon release.
Vs 36 I was sick and you looked after me,
The Greek word used here for visit, or looked after is where we get our word for Episcopal. It has the tone of a shepherd carrying a distressed sheep or a father his child.
Our jails and prisons are full of people who are sick and addicted to drugs and alcohol who need help not incarceration. Addiction is an epidemic. 90% of our prisoners have addictions. Yet, only 30% of the prisoners in our jails receive any educational classes. Yet, we are better than most counties.
In jail, the chronically ill or disabled are housed in an infirmary unit at the main jail. I have to tell you, if I was very ill, that is the last place I would want to be. The rooms are not hospital rooms but jail cells.
A few months ago, Jesus was there dying of aids in the infirmary. Our main jail chaplain went to have a prayer service for him and his 6 other fellow cell mates who had been caring for him. She came in with some oil to anoint him. She walked in and stood by his bed. She heard a noise behind her, there were patients on crutches and wheelchairs packed around the door of his room with tears in their eyes.
One of the worst fears in jail, is to die alone, uncared for and forgotten. Here was a very ill man who was getting a decent send-off - and they were not about to miss an opportunity to say goodbye too. Not a single person in that hallway was left untouched by the nearness of God in that room. CIC chaplains are privileged to minister among the sick and dying in our jails.
I was in prison and you came to visit me.
Visiting in jail is a unique ministry. It is a ministry in the cracks… Literally this can mean visiting, speaking and praying thru the crack between the metal cell door and the door jamb.
Figuratively, Chaplains minister in the cracks of time between pill call, meals being served, attorney and family visits, court movements, diabetic checks, lock downs and a host of other things that happen during the day.
The crack is sometimes the presence of sobriety while a prisoner has clearer head. Praying with Jesus when he’s is going through withdrawals is so powerful. A deep peace happens in those moments is hard to describe. When we pray usually the prisoner Jesus cries, but almost always smiles and says, “I feel better.” The prisoner and I experience God’s pleasure and peace as our souls are joined with God’s presence. I know I have looked into the face of Christ.
Jesus is asking us to BE the gospel to him. Prisoners want to know that the Lord has not given up on them, that there is still hope and that God loves them. Many are locked away. (The Pew report reported that -1 out of 100 Americans are behind bars) but God still holds us accountable to care for them – even the least of our human brothers and sisters. The litmus test according to the book of Matthew is our participation in liberative acts towards others that lead to an abundant life.
In verse 37, the English reads, “then the righteous will answer him …” The Spanish translation uses the word “just” instead of righteous. I believe the word just is a better translation as it infers a fair relationship to one another.
37 "Then the just will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40 "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'” (TNIV)
There are good things being done in the jails in the name of Jesus Christ. CIC Ministries is a non-profit jail ministry. CIC is serving the Lord with:
- 4 Full-time Facility chaplains
- We have trained 300 volunteer chaplains for ministry in the jails
- We offer 280 Christian services a month.
- visited 6800 people individually
- contacted 562 pastors to arrange a visit with their parishioners
Let me leave you with a little poem I heard:
There is so much good in the worst of us,
And so much bad in the best of us,
That it hardly becomes any of us – to talk about the rest of us.
Let’s pray: Lord of the least of these, thank you that you came to us to serve us, to seek and to save us when we were lost. Help us to know your heart and follow in your steps, to give of ourselves to those in need, that with wisdom, patience and courage we may minister in your name to the suffering, the friendless, and the needy. Help us to not neglect you, in your distressing disguise but to help, save and defend you and your loved ones. Help us to have courage and generosity because of all you have given to us. In Jesus name, Amen.
BENEDICTION:
May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships So that you may live deep
within your heart.
May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression and exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, starvation and war
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them
And to turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
Amen.
- Franciscan Benediction