Archive for February, 2011

Prison becomes a better place

February 24, 2011

A few days ago, I participated on a panel discussing the death penalty in Missouri. I spoke about the recent execution and the transformation I had personally observed in the man who was put to death.

During the question and answer period, one of the attendees asked, “These men who are transformed during their time in prison, what do they do with this newly found conversion? Particularly those who aren’t going to be released? How can they reach out to others?”

I responded, “They minister to each other.”

Prison life is within a community, a community of men struggling to discover who they are and where they are heading. It isn’t a normal community by any measure. Freedom has been taken away; there are countless rules; interaction with the opposite sex is non-existent; the ability to express anger or affection is suppressed.

But a life of meaning can be found once an offender realizes that prison is his life, that he isn’t enduring  a “life interrupted.” Offenders eventually find it to be  unhealthy to dwell upon life-on-the-streets, either before or after incarceration. Today is really all anyone has, and that notion is particularly acute for those in prison.

After a few years, an offender’s focus often turns toward anything that takes him out of his current environment. He seeks a different kind of freedom, freedom of the spirit, a place to dwell that is more welcoming and more comforting than the bleakness and monotony of prison life.

The spiritual life offers that, and the path to conversion begins. Chapel services are attended; meditation classes are taken; prayer time becomes part of the daily routine; bible studies are pursued, and a community of believers begins to become more and more apparent.

Ministry to others becomes part of their prison existence. They begin to notice those  who are hurting, need encouragement, lose hope to the point of near-despair, are grieving over the loss of loved ones through death or through broken relationships.

Transformation does take place. A new creation begins to exist within individual prison cells. Prison becomes a better place.

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It’s cold in here!

February 23, 2011

So, last week we had unseasonably warm weather, 60s and 70s. A pretty nice weekend followed.

But yesterday and today turned cold, a penetrating and uncomfortable cold. Guess which days we were scheduled to have the last of our single pane windows replaced. Big windows. Much energy loss winter and summer.

With the replacement process, we are very open to the elements.

It’s cold in here!

Yesterday this was open:

Today, this is open … usually no plastic sheeting. They are at lunch.

A modest demolition pile.

But my office is warm. Heat’s off, but between me, the lights, and the computer,  things are toasty! A little heater stands by, but so far unnecessary.

Nevertheless, I look forward to waving bye-bye to the men cluttering up our domain.

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I wonder …

February 19, 2011

I wonder if most of those who pay the top marginal income tax rate, 35%, were to have it raised back to 39.6%, would  even notice … if their tax accountant didn’t tell them. The folks don’t need the money, and the shortfall will be picked up by those who do.

I wonder how our Roman Catholic dioceses would be led  if there wasn’t a “red hat” to aim for? Or even an archbishop title? Or if there was no bishop at all? Couldn’t there be a rotational administrator for, say, a six-year term? Elected by fellow priests of the diocese? Or does it even need to be a priest? I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest there would be a more pastoral presence and less abusive, thoughtless, and unchristian displays of power … as in Phoenix, Omaha, Kansas City, St. Louis over the past several years.

I wonder why waterboarding (no segue intended) is referred to as “simulated” drowning. The person is actually drowning. A more accurate description would be: a drowning interrupted. Torture? Without a doubt. But regrettably prohibited by “quaint” international conventions, or so we were told Messrs. Chaney and Yoo. Care to try it gentlemen?

I wonder why the snowplow waits to come by until after I’ve cleared the end of the driveway?

I wonder why so many recent memoirs from the world of politics are listed under nonfiction? They do, however, provide good raw material for forensic historians. I saw one of the authors interviewed on television. He still has no idea what the hell happened under his watch!

I wonder why some gas station owners raise the price immediately … with underground tanks full of cheaper gasoline, but lower the price slowly until the storage tanks are pretty much depleted of more expensive gas?

I wonder why one needs to speak up to avoid being seated by the restrooms in a nearly empty restaurant? And with reservations no less?

I wonder why some people are so fearful of theocracies being established in other countries and yet seem to be doing everything they can to establish one here. If you want to see a horror show, live under a Christian theocracy … the history books are full of information if you are curious. “Kill the infidel” has been around for a long, long time under many guises. It all begins with orchestrating what our children read, or don’t read, in their textbooks, and what is taught, or not taught, in the schools. I’ll take a secular state, thank you.

I wonder why bloody, violent, psychopathic crimes will be displayed on TV as early as 8:00, Criminal Minds for example, but any steamy scenes (other than soaps while the kids are in school or playing outside) are on at 9:00 or later. Which can do more damage to our sensibilities?

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A senseless activity

February 13, 2011

During the early hours of Wednesday, February 9, 2011, just after mid-night, Martin Link was executed by the State of Missouri. Why? No reason other than he committed one of the few murders which result in a death sentence in Missouri – about 1 percent.

An individual taking revenge on a person who murdered a loved one is an illegal activity. The state taking revenge on that murderer is a senseless activity, completely absent any meaning. Killing someone who is defenseless and poses no threat to society defies explanation.

There are more than 40 men on death row in Missouri. (I invite you to name two.) These are men the state can’t wait to execute. But to what end? Who knows their names or what crime they are guilty of committing?

Mr. Link’s crime needed to be spelled out in several newspaper articles and TV reports over the weeks prior to his execution.  If he was such a menace to the life and welfare of any of our fellow citizens, you’d think his presence among us would have been top of mind everyday for the past 20 years.

To be sure, his crime was most distasteful, violent, and devoid of any public sympathy. I’ll let the reader Google his name for the details. During my 2-1/2 years of visiting him on a regular basis, I was unaware of his crime. Seldom am I aware of the crimes of any of the men I minister to in solitary confinement.

I intentionally choose to not research offenders’ crimes. No matter how hard I try, it is difficult to avoid being judgmental. Meeting them where they are and as they are is what I’m called to do as a volunteer chaplain in two of Missouri’s maximum security prisons.

Getting to know Marty Link was a privilege for me, and to have him as a companion on a small segment of my faith journey. My comments at his prayer service prior to his burial on Friday, February 11 are linked here.

Let us all pray for wisdom and maturity among our elected officials so that an end to capital punishment can be achieved in our states and nation. We are becoming more and more alone in the world in our inability to forgive and open the door to redemption. Denying access to repentance and a life of meaning, even in prison, doesn’t reflect what this country stands for.

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A 21st Century Prophecy

February 8, 2011

(This morning I spent time with an offender who is in a holding cell awaiting execution just after midnight tonight. As I sit here this evening, I’m reminded of what I was doing nearly 10 years ago at the end of my first year as a volunteer chaplain at a maximum security prison.)

During the fall of 2001, two events converged: I was taking a course called “The Prophets,” and I was asked by an offender to be a pastoral witness at his execution.

So, I chose the topic of capital punishment and reflected upon what a modern-day prophet might have to say on the topic.

In my paper I included A 21st Century Prophecy which I wrote in the morning before I drove down to the prison on the eve of his execution.

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“It’s a deal!”

February 1, 2011

First the freezing rain, then the freezing drizzle, and soon the snow accompanied by high winds will arrive. Anywhere from 7 to 20 inches are expected, a major storm for this part of the country.

My first trek to the driveway was to push around a few inches of ice crystals. The consistency was that of sugar. Better to keep up with it from time to time rather than wait for the storm to pass.

When I came in for a break and rest, I set the oven timer for two hours, an appropriate recovery interval before I would return for more shoveling.

A moment later there was a knock on the front door. “Would you like me to keep your driveway clean throughout the storm?” There, with smiling face, stood our neighbor’s son.

“What compensation are you looking for?” I asked.

“I will return three times for a total of 25 dollars.”

“It’s a deal!”

His family has, perhaps, the only snow blower in the immediate neighborhood. This is contrasted with the area we grew up in, Minnesota, where one is more than likely to be the only one without a snow blower in any given neighborhood.

The work is being supervised by is father, and I envision a budding business being set up for several winters coming.

But I still think I’ll purchase a snow blower. We’ll see.

In the meantime, I imagine there is an offender looking at the snow through his narrow window. He can’t see far, just as far as the adjacent wing in his housing unit.

I wonder what he is thinking as the snow swirls among the buildings. This coming weekend could be his last as he approaches his execution date on February 9.

And for the rest of us, a snow storm is coming.

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