Kindness to criminals this Lent

WHEN PEOPLE commit crimes, violating and causing harm to others, a punitive society often lacks time and patience with practically accommodating rehabilitation on a wide scale. In fact, it is never easy to reach out in compassion to those who have wronged the innocent, especially when the victims are little children!

Some years ago, in another country where I did a weekly prison ministry, I was invited to facilitate a therapeutic process with sex offenders. It was a challenging exercise since these men would have been advised never to admit guilt or culpability within the context of the justice system. Some were also still awaiting the appellate process. How do you facilitate a necessary conversation with anyone who refuses to accept responsibility for a crime that he or she committed?

FALSELY ACCUSED

Then there are those men who have been falsely accused. Those men who were led to believe that the 15-year-old girl was a 21-year-old woman. And, in a context where rape and paedophilia are common, the truth of innocent men can meet an uphill struggle for patient understanding.

Some of those most impatient towards offenders are Christians. Interestingly, Jesus who was never a Christian, but one Christians claim to follow, had other ideas. To the penitent thief, he said, “Today, you will be with me in paradise.”

The Kingston justices of the peace do a good job each year with their annual Christmas treat for inmates and their families. However, a sad experience for me has always been to meet those inmates for whom there is no visit. No parents. No siblings. No friend. No spouse. No children.

People sometimes ask me, “How do you minister to those people?” I then observe that we can only minister to people when we refuse to “other” them. We reach people effectively when we understand that they are us and we are them. We reach people effectively when we understand that our place is not to judge them. Our place is simply to be fellow human beings called to love and share in compassion for those who have got into trouble with the law.

If we could only take the time to understand the pain of separation from loved ones. Take the time to do a ministry of presence for those condemned and alone. Take the time to be with them on a journey of healing.

I will never forget some years ago, one Monday morning, when I turned up at Her Majesty’s Prison in Northward, Grand Cayman. I met a man who appeared to be in shock. The evening before, a church group had a service to which they brought a freezer which was used for baptism. In the euphoria of the service, he went forward for baptism. He did not know that he would be given a sheet of paper afterwards which required his signature. It had a list of things that he would no longer do. One of them was smoking. He was shocked!

KICK THE HABIT

Now, different things work for different people. I have met people who simply stopped smoking upon deciding to do so. However, most of the people whom I knew over the years were trying to kick the habit, took some time. This man needed the help of community in journeying with him as he processed what seemed for him a difficult parting with smoking. It was such a relief for him to learn from me, a pastor, that it was okay for him to take his time. I watched that man reducing his smoking habit until he got over it within about eight months.

It is easy for many Christians to soothe their consciences with doing a grand crusade or getting a number of persons baptised. However, the real deal is that journey with people in their feelings of loneliness after being judged and condemned by those who quickly call them “sinners”. Some of the most beautiful men and women I have met have been among the incarcerated.

This Holy Week, may we hear Jesus who promises paradise to the penitent thief. May we hear Him in our hearts as we reach out to the weak, the fallen, those in prison, and those who are in mental prisons because of oppression. Finally, let us pray for those who seek justice in the context of being incarcerated. Let us keep advocacy alive for those who require mental health care. May we not forget those who are innocent. And yes, may our humanity seek to help those who have been abused and now abuse others.

Fr Sean Major-Campbell is an Anglican priest and advocate for human dignity and human rights. Send feedback to seanmajorcampbell@yahoo.com or columns@gleanerjm.com