Through the work of prison ministry, I read letter after letter from men in prison who describe encounters with the devil and evil spirits, haunting and taunting them. Behind the walls of prisons, demons are something known and feared. These men have been made out to be enemies of the state, bearers of evil that…
When the multitude of disciples welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem 2,000 years ago, they shouted, “Hosanna!” Hosanna — a word meaning “Save us.” In desperation for freedom from the oppression of their time, the people called out to Jesus, “Save us!” and were confident in his ability to do so. This Palm Sunday, for the second…
Quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic forced many of us into involuntary confinement and isolation. The painful experience reminded us that humans are social animals who long to be free — free to move about, associate, make choices and form bonds. For the two million Americans who are currently incarcerated, quarantine merely extended the punitive logic…
I greet you as a first-time writer for the Messy Jesus Business blog at a time that seems messier than most. My heart has been heavy, though that’s not entirely unusual in jail ministry. The stories that accompany experiences of incarceration often involve grave harm, deep woundedness and painful separation. Yet the story of “visiting…
Season 4, Episode 9 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh. “I go, and I think I’m bringing Church to them; Church is already there.” – Deacon Pablo Perez LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: Sister Julia Walsh talks with Deacon Pablo Perez about how he became a deacon and chaplain at Chicago’s…
Photo credit: http://www.freeimages.com/photo/prison-1201356 I spend most of time going through life assuming that I am basically a good person who is OK with God. But, every now and then, I notice ugly thoughts jumble around inside me: Give them what they deserve! Or, Lock them up and throw away the key! Or, Thank God they’re…
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