Pew to Pilgrim - Ransom the Captive

Ransom evokes a heavy meaning, forcing one to make a choice between making a sacrifice or accepting that something bad will happen. More common a few hundred or even a thousand years ago, it was based on the Old French word rançon. Probably most often associated with the violent crime of kidnapping, we think of examples of families and governments paying ransom to gain the release of loved ones and citizens.

But if we look further back to Biblical origins and the Latin word redemptio, we discover a more merciful definition meaning redemption. In this context, ransom signifies the price or payment Christ made for our redemption, the Son of God “gave his life as ransom for many.” Using the Latin definition in today’s world, it inspires us to not only look at “ransom” as redemption, but also encourages us to take a broad view of “captive.”

One common modern interpretation is "Visit the Imprisoned." With well over two million people incarcerated in the United States, we have the highest number of people in prison per capita of any country in the world. If you add another nearly five million on parole or probation, we have a large population with many needs.

For a good number of the incarcerated, there is true remorse and a desire for forgiveness. For others, there is profound loneliness as families and friends have abandoned them. And still for others, they live without knowing the mercy of Christ and are in need of our prayers. On the practical side, you can help by volunteering for a prison ministry where you visit with the imprisoned, pray with them and share the sacrament of communion. Or make donations of items that will help prisoners maintain a relationship with their families (see ideas below).

As often happens when offering an Act of Mercy, we receive more than we give. In the book Mercy in the City, author Kerry Weber is concerned about how she will be received by the prisoners at San Quentin, California’s oldest correctional institute housing thousands of hardened criminals including those on death row. To her surprise, she was warmly received by prisoners who shared their difficult journeys of suffering and struggle. She came to see them as people, moving beyond the inmate and criminal labels, realizing they were not solely defined by their act of crime.

Our own Fr. Louis Cameli urges us to take the definition of “captive” even further. “We hear Jesus’ mission defined – while not blatantly “mercy” he called upon to be merciful by freeing the captives locked by “shackles” and free those captive by their own COMPULSIONS.” We must think broadly on who is captive. It can be someone who profoundly lonely or isolated. Or perhaps it is someone who is suffering from drug addiction or mental illness. We need to look all around and reach out to those in our family, our friends and community suffering with their own issues of captivity.

How to get started:

1. Look around to see who is captive in your life or community?

2. What do they need? How can you bring mercy and comfort?

3. What do you have that you can share to relieve their suffering?

• Prayerfully reflect on the distinction between the imprisoned as people and the crimes they have committed
• Pray for the victims of the crimes; pray for the families of the imprisoned 
• Reflect on what your purpose would be if you were to visit someone in jail or prison; maybe turn the tables and reflect on what life would be like if you were imprisoned
• Support prison ministries like Kolbe House with your financial donations to allow them to expand their ministry
• Read about Kerry Weber’s visit to San Quentin in her book Mercy in the City
• Watch video of Pope Francis visiting the imprisoned in Mexico City and his reflections at Auschwitz in St. Maximillian Kolbe’s cell
• Support local veterans groups that help vets deal with PTSD and homelessness
• Pray for the conversion of those sentenced to death
• Volunteer at organizations that help those with disabilities such as Misericordia; or just support them directly by purchasing sweets from one of their bakery stands
• Support programs that collect Christmas presents for the children of those imprisoned 
• Purchase fair-trade items which offer better trading conditions to and secure the rights of marginalized producers and workers, so they are not enslaved to poverty Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade
• Collect Christmas cards and stamps that can be shared with prisoners to send to family and friends
• Become involved in Social Justice activities in your community
• Support the Innocence Project; learn about advocating for people unjustly imprisoned
• Provide your time and talent to programs helping to rehabilitate prisoners with skills and job training as well as basic educational programs
• Join a prison pen pal program where you can make meaningful connections with those in prison 
• Mentor a teen at a juvenile correction center 
• Be trained to become a volunteer prison minister at Cook County Jail, the largest jail in the United States with over 9,000 inmates

                                I have seen his ways, but I will heal him (Is 57:18-21)

Lori Doyle and Gabi Schultz have served as members of the Parish Pastoral Council, are active with a variety of Liturgical Ministries as Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers, Cathedral Altar Servers and Ministers of Care at Prentice Hospital/NW Hospital. Both parishioners for about 6 years, Lori loves to travel and cook and is a proud mother of her son John, a UM Wolverine. Gabi enjoys trying new restaurants, running, cooking lessons and spending time with friends and family.