Prison Awareness Sunday

The Pharisees asked Christ which commandment is the greatest. Christ answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. The second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (MT. 22: 34-40). When asked who his neighbor is, Christ stressed the story of the good Samaritan who saved the life of a traveler who was attacked by robbers.

In practice, love of God and love of neighbor is indivisible. St John said, “If anyone says I love God but hates his brother is a liar for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20).

Prison awareness Sunday reminds us that there is a part in our life which, unfortunately, do not move us at all. This is the reality that some of our brothers and sisters are in prison. We can do something about this by asking our Kura Paroko about the archdiocesan program/ministry regarding prisoners. They are prisoners but they are also children of God who may have gone astray. Think of the parable of the Prodigal son. Like us, prisoners also feel pain, sorrow, despair loneliness and regret. No matter what the crime is, repentance and forgiveness is a part of Christian life.

When one of the two prisoners who were crucified with Christ asked for forgiveness of his sins, Christ’s answer was instantaneous. Today you shall be with me in paradise. This Sunday, give some thoughts and offer prayers for the prisoners. What you do to the least of my brothers, you do unto me.