Last night at the Catholic Callout at Lansing Correctional
Facility, the discussion leader asked the question, “Has there been a time when
you truly felt saved?” Most of the inmates replied “No”; one even said he’d be
grateful just to get to purgatory. I finally spoke up and said, “You should
know you are saved every time you receive the Eucharist. God died for you! What
more do you want? What more proof do you need that God loves and forgives you?”
I hope my exasperation got through to them. One of the
inmates followed up on what I said by remarking, “I think it’s really arrogant to think that
God can’t forgive you. That’s placing limits on what God can do. I just go
about my business and don’t worry about it any more.” At least one of them gets
it!
We need to relay the good news about God’s love and mercy at
every opportunity through our words, actions, and attitude of joy, because the energy
of so many people is tied up in worry and self-recrimination when it could be
directed toward gratitude and service to the body of Christ. “As the Father has
loved me, so I love you; live on in my love.” We have been told; now we need to
act on what we know.
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