By Revd Phil Wales
“… I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” – Matthew 25.35-36
A recent online search of the Charity Commission’s register revealed a very large number of charities which support people who have committed crimes, either while they are behind bars or after their release. A closer look shows that these bodies have diverse aims. While some organisations try to guide prisoners to find a better way forward through life, others are primarily on the side of those who have been hurt by the actions of others. Of course, the misdeeds of some and their consequences should concern us all in one way or another.
Administering justice, that is, the ways we decide to protect people, hold others to account for their actions and keep social order, is a complex and emotive area. And it is one which has been occupying my thinking for some years now. Around this time of year especially, my attention becomes heightened because of Prisons Week (www.prisonsweek.org). This is a focused week of prayer which starts on the second Sunday in October and so, this year, draws to a close tomorrow.
Prisons Week was started in 1975 by a group of prison chaplains and fellow Christians who sought to raise awareness of the spiritual and practical needs of those held in prison. Over the last five decades the initiative has grown into a broader coalition which now includes different church denominations and charities.
During Prisons Week we are invited to pray for prisoners, their families, the victims of crime, and all those working and involved in the justice system. As we pray throughout the week we walk, metaphorically speaking, with all those affected by crime. But we may find it uncomfortable to dwell too long on the needs of those who have committed offences, preferring instead to stay with our natural sympathies for their victims. Yet we are asked, intentionally, to pray for prisoners themselves.
And this is why Jesus’s words in Matthew (above) are so challenging. Christ identifies Himself with everyone in need, not just those we may be inclined to help, but also the marginalized, and those we may, privately, prefer not to think about too often, if at all. Jesus reminds us that whoever we are, no matter what we may have done, we are each made in the image of God and worthy of compassion. If Prisons Week rests on the belief that prayer has the power to transform lives by bringing our needs to God then this act of faith includes all of us, whoever we are. In the end, there are no limits to God’s grace and mercy.
Prisons Week Prayer:
Lord, You offer freedom to all people.
We pray for those in prison.
Break the bonds of fear and isolation that exist.
Support with Your love,
prisoners and their families,
prison staff and all who care for them.
Heal those who have been wounded by the actions of others,
especially the victims of crime.
Help us to forgive one another,
to act justly, love mercy,
and walk humbly together with Christ,
in His strength and in His Spirit,
now and every day.
Amen.