Spent Thursday evening in prison. Only 1 inmate showed. He was discouraged because he had put flyer out and encouraged others to come. Told him a story of how God taught me about the already and the not yet. Harrowed a field till nothing was growing. Spread the seed and fertilizer. Looked at my work a bare dirt field with nothing growing. Did all I could and now had to have faith and trust the Son would rise and the rain would fall. Nothing I could do! The already was present and the promise of the not yet was was covered by the earth – dirt! Yep our bodies are just dirt that cover and hide our souls. And like the bare field are waiting for the Son to rise and the rain to fall! Hold your breath – when that happens new life springs from the earth and the possibility of lush green growth abounds. When my story was done they began to arrive one by one. Most not Catholic and some not so sure why they were there.
This how I spent the evening in prison with the story of the two disciples traveling from Jerusalem to Emmaus and a stranger joined them. what were you discussing? Are you the only one who hasn’t heard?
At the end of the evening I asked them what they wanted me to pray for them. One young man told me he was being released to go home in 3 weeks. Would I pray for him. Another is in for life but up for parole in August and another and another!
The already has been planted and the not yet is waiting for those who have faith and trust that the Son will rise and the rains will come. And yes the grace of God really can wash the dirt clean so that new life can leap from the earth and embrace the warm of the Son and quench ones thrust from the rain.
No prison can lock out the already and the not yet- even the prison walls we build around ourselves.