# 1 AN OPEN LETTER TO PRISON CHAPLAINS AND FELLOW INMATES
by Bruce Maker, Oblate of St. Benedict Wynn Unit Huntsville TX
Dear Volunteer Chaplains and Fellow Inmatres,
I would like to address this to our prison ministers, and those prisoners who may be leaving prison soon. We are greatly blessed to have a few volunteers who come to minister to us who are in prison. They sacrifice their time, money, and at times, they even put their own reputations and credibility on the line with their own parish communities. Truly, they do this work for the love of Christ, and we know that this is a corporal work of mercy. But let’s face it, it is not one quickly embraced by the many. So, to those who do this work of ministering to the prisoner, layman and clergy alike, we NEED you, we LOVE you, and we THANK you.
And , to my fellow inmates:
But how do we express this love and gratitude for those who do this for us? Many of us while in prison consistently spread and defend the Faith. But once out, what do we do? Many of us lay our cross down at the exit door of the prison. This happens for various reasons, and we have heard them all. I don’t want here to focus on that. What I am asking You is, are you St. Dismas forever, or are you working now towards becoming like Christ?
Yes, Yes, we will forever be repenting, and we relate to St. Dismas because he was a prisoner but received (after a life of crime) redemption. We see also that he is the first to be directly canonized face to face by Christ himself. But now let us not forget that Christ himself was also a prisoner. And in the last moments of his life he spent his time ministering to his fellow prisoner. Christ, who we are all as Christians to reflect, did not tell St. Dismas: “Leave me alone; can’t you see I am in pain right now. My time is short…etc.” No, not any of that.
So as a Christian who wants to imitate Christ, what will you do once out of prison? Will you lay your cross down at the exit door? It is my prayer that you will not. And that you will recall the NEED that You had for a volunteer chaplain while in prison. And hopefully you will out of love and gratitude become a volunteer yourself. If for legit restrictions you can’t be a volunteer chaplain, you can still find other ways to be active in this ministry. First with prayer, then your time, donations and assistance in general. No one part of this ministry can fully function without the other.
So, what will you do? If you get out and never engage in this ministry, but live out a full Christian life and never become a prisoner again, our chaplains would be happy and thankful to God. But I pray and encourage you to remember this priceless gift you have been given, and recall these priceless chaplains who brought this gift to you. And like Christ from his cross, you too will minister to the prisoner.
by Bruce Maker, Oblate of St. Benedict Wynn Unit Huntsville TX
(Written in response to a guard who told me the Pope is not biblical.)
First, we have to acknowledge that the goodness we may reflect as Christians does not come from us. As the light of the moon is not from the moon but is actually light from the sun reflecting off of the moon. (I can’t remember who said that.) Likewise, we who are saved reflect the light of Jesus Christ. And this light is not only for ourselves, but for others.
We know that though we are individual parts, we are of one body, Christ. (1Cor 12:20-7; Col 1;18; Eph 5:30; Rom 12:4-5; 1Cor 12:13) So can the body be divided and still function properly? What does St. Paul tell us, “The eye can’t tell the ear I don’t need you, or the hand to the foot, I don’t need you…”
Nor, we know, can a divided mind properly function the body.
“I urge that there be no divisions among you.” (1Cor 1:10)
“…be of same mind, united in heart, thinking one thing.” (Phil 2:2)
“God grant you to think in harmony with one another” (Rom 15:5)
“Avoid those who create dissensions” (Rom 16:17)
“That they may be brought to perfection as one” (John 17:23)
As for the Pope. First you have to understand that the Pope is a bishop. He is elected by his fellow bishops to the pontifical office. The Pope is not an office of “Orders”. There are only three ecclesiastical Holy Orders in the Church: deacon, presbyter (where we get the word priest) and bishop. These three Orders by name are found in Holy Scripture: 1Tim 3:1, 3:8, 5:17 and James 5:14-16. By his elected office of Pope he becomes a leader among equal bishops.
As we can see from Scripture, this office was appointed to Peter by Christ. Peter’s name is spoken 195 times – more than all the Apostles put together. Peter is always spoken of in the first place. It is he who settled the dispute in Jerusalem; it is he whom Paul went to meet for approval after his conversion. When Christ addresses any form of leadership, it is always directed to Peter when a name is addressed.
But before understanding, accepting, or rejecting the duty of Pope, you have to ask, do you acknowledge the Orders of bishop, deacon, and priest? If you say “no”, then you’re denying the offices which Scripture identifies. It is clear, literal, and within the context.
Do you believe that these offices died out with the death of John? We see in Acts 1:25-26 Matthias was elected by lot to replace Judas. Though he died, his office did not die, another was appointed to it. Acts 14:23 – “They appointed presbyters for them in each church…” Other references are found in 1Tim 4:14; Eph 2:20, 4:11; 1Cor 12:28-29; Titus 1:5. We see here and many other places that apostolic authority was passed on by appointment. And this office was not appointed by or to just anyone.
It is clear to see that the Church was, is, and ever will be apostolic. Where did these Apostles get their authority (as we see they speak & act with authority)? From Christ! And this is why we say that the Church is holy. Not that it is holy based on its members, but it is holy because its founder Jesus Christ is holy. So, where is this office now? This unbroken chain of bishops? Where is our shepherd? “Peter, feed my sheep. Peter, tend my sheep”. (John 21:15-17)
There is more evidence to say Christ left us a visible, united Church with authority, than there is to say he did not.
You say you believe in what the Spirit says to you? But we know from Scripture that “No scripture is a matter of personal interpretation”. And we know when the Apostle asked the Ethiopian eunuch what he was reading, the eunuch answered, “How will I know unless someone explains it to me?” He was then moved to be baptized – after it was explained to him.
God moves the will (love) by grace to allow the mind to grasp Divine Revelation. Divine Revelation is when God speaks; divine faith is when we accept what is revealed. But, sometimes we need other people to help us understand. So when that time comes do we just go off and seek the direction and council of those who are members of churches founded on their own whim, or do we receive council from the chain of Apostles?
The Catholic (which means universal) Church states that people must make choices based on their conscience. But, each person has the duty to insure that they have a fully informed conscience before rejecting or accepting. Before you can reject the office of Pope, you have to understand what that office is, or you are acting in willful ignorance.
by Bruce Maker, Oblate of St. Benedict Wynn Unit Huntsville
(Written to a “Christian” woman who denies the divinity of Jesus.)
Dear Christian,
I have no degree in theology, and I don’t always trust philosophy. I think it was St. Paul who said "the more they called themselves philosophers, the dumber they became. "Some people can use philosophy to make down seem to be up and up to be down; it all depends on whose philosophy you subscribe to. On the other hand, philosophy can also be in line with established truths. This wouldn’t be philosophy twisting our logic, but confirming what we already know to be true. So, what is truth? Its nature can not be a lie. As we are talking here on articles of faith, we will take our established truth to be God, who by his very nature cannot be a lie. So, truth is God.
Do you believe in the salvific crucifixion of Jesus? Of course you do. No matter what stripe of Christian denomination, all Christians can agree on this point with logic, made credible by history and faith. But do you believe that Jesus was divine? Do you believe that He was the second Person of the Blessed Trinity – the Son of God become flesh? If you deny the divinity of Jesus, well then you can't logically believe in His ability to offer salvation. Why? Because no created man can make up for the offence against God that Adam committed.
You see it was a man who offended the majesty of God. Therefore it had to be a man to make restitution. But no created man can match the majesty of God. The deeper issue is not what sin was committed but whom the sin was committed against. It was man who violated God’s law so it has to be a man to make restitution, a man who can be equal to the majesty of God. But you see, only God can be equal to God. So, if this man we need to make restitution is not equal to God, his sacrifice is not adequate, and therefore invalid. As a result, we would not be saved. But this would be contrary to the truth that we already established, which was that Christ Jesus’ sacrifice was salvific. In short, if you don’t believe in the divine equality of Jesus with God then you can’t logically believe his crucifixion was salvific and then "our hope would be in vain" as St. Paul says.
Of course, Jesus is “equal” to God only because He is also the Son of God. When the Son became flesh as Mary’s son, Jesus became fully human and fully divine. This is called the “Hypostatic Union”, and is a great mystery of Christianity which was defined at the Council of Nicaea. So, there was a time when Jesus, the historical human person, did not exist, but the Son, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, has always existed with the Father.
Because Jesus is united with the Son, He is more than an “ordinary” creation, for He is equal to God. Thus, the human Jesus, by virtue of His virgin birth through the infusion of the Holy Spirit, is truly a “unique” creation of God. True creation is to make something totally out of nothing pre-existing. We men make things, but not out of nothingness. We use pre-existing matter. All things are made up of matter. But where does matter come from?Evolution deals with the development of matter not with its creation. So who do scientist say made matter? They don’t know. We say God. So to be a true creation, our world would have to be made out of nothingness. As for the divinity of Christ, it did not come from nothingness, it is of God himself, and as God has always existed this means the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity has also always existed. And therefore Jesus cannot be an ordinary creation. If the Second Person was an ordinary creation, then Jesus doesn’t have the divinity of God. Then He is not worthy to be the sacrifice, and we cant say we are Christians . You see, you can’t deny or accept any aspect of Christ’s divinity without denying or accepting the whole truth.
So where does the Holy Spirit come from? Christ is of the divinity of God, and since this divinity has always existed for eternity, then the Second Person of the Trinity has also existed for all eternity. The Holy Spirit is generated by the love which has eternally existed between Father and Son. And since this love is eternal, the Holy Spirit is also eternal . This eternal unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit is what we call the Holy Trinity. I am my father’s son. _And from my conception I have always been a son. But, my father did not become _a_ father until I became his son. But you see God doesn’t become anything. He is all powerful, and perfect, omnipotent, and omniscient. He is complete in His perfection. We can’t add to or subtract from God anything which can make him greater or lesser than what he has always been. So if God is the father of Jesus then he has always been the father of Jesus! We men use the word "become" because our finite minds see things in stages beginning, middle, end. But God is infinite and His vision grasps all things from before there was a "before" and past what we call the end. He is the “alpha and omega” the creator of time itself. "...in the beginning, God created,,,"
So why? Why has the Son existed from all eternity? To do exactly what His name said He would do. “Yeshua” or “Jesus” means savior. It is not only who He is but what He is. In God’s all-encompassing vision, our savior was there for us before our creation. We know that the crucifixion is true in its salvific ability, not by what was done, but by whom it was done – by the Truth.
by Bruce Maker, Oblate of St. Benedict Wynn Unit Huntsville, Texas
If you brought up the subject of “the seven deadly sins" to a Bible Christian, his response might be to tell you that the deadly sins are not listed in the Bible. Granted, they are not listed by the title, "seven deadly sins", but they are still there. We see them reflected in their counterparts. The Bible says, "Do not steal." Why mostly, do men steal? Out of coveting, greed, and envy. Then there is anger, another deadly sin. “ .but for Cain and his offering he had no regard So Cain was very angry...." (Gen 4:5 ) And we know his anger led to envy and the murder of his brother Able Feelings of angry are not sin, but can lead to sin, "Be angry, but do not sin." (Matt 5:22) tells us to make peace with our brother who we are angry with before making our offering. The deadly sins can summed up in what the apostles called the inordinate control of the flesh.
The sins and their counterparts: Pride—Humility, Covetousness—Liberality, Lust—Chastity, Anger—Meekness, Gluttony—Temperance,, Envy—Brotherly Love, and Sloth—Diligence.
Not all things Jesus said and did are written in the Bible (Jn 21:25). St. Paul references in Acts 20:35 that Jesus said, "It is better to give than to receive." No where in the Gospels does it say Jesus ever said this. But we do accept this oral teaching from St. Paul. And there is more. "Hold fast to the traditions, whether orally or by letter. (2 Thess 15:3, 3:6). The apostles here are not referring to man-made traditions which set aside God's commandments. In Matt 15:3 Jesus condemned such traditions. We know the 7 deadly sins because they are the counterfeit of life. In Phil2:12 Paul urges us to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling...." Work (diligence) is opposed to sloth. I cannot be slothful in my prayer or practice of faith. I must be diligent.
So, the seven deadly sins really are in the Bible. In the same way, we see the formula for the Holy Trinity, even though the exact phrase "Holy Trinity" is not found in the bible. If we reject an article of faith because the exact words are not in the Bible, then by a cursory examination of the Bible or Concordance, this article of faith is no more also. Where can we turn for an authoritative interpretation? By the testimony of two witnesses. Which two? One—the church. A visible one, not invisible? The local church? If elders don't agree, who will resolve the impasse? Is Christ's Church only local in authority? We must turn to the universal church, with many parts but only one head Jesus the Christ, but ONE body. Scripture has it, "Be of one SPIRIT and one BODY." If this body were only spiritual, there would be no need to list both spirit and body.
Why am I Catholic? Because I am a Christian who believes what the Bible teaches and the Church which made it the official or canonical Bible. The seven OT books rejected by non-Catholics had been accepted by early Christians and never questioned until Martin Luther left the Catholic Church in 1517 and adopted a 39 book O.T. Those excised books were historical, but also of spiritual value. Why else would Jesus celebrate Hanukah—you will understand the basis for Hanukah from the books of Maccabees. Both O.T. and N.T. were formed into one Bible by the Catholic Church. Protestants accept the 27 N.T. books canonized first by the Catholic Church.
• Pope Damasus in AD 382 prompted by the Council of Rome, wrote a decree listing the present O.T. formed in 250-125 B.C. of 46 books and N.T. of 27 books.
• The Council of Hippo (in North Africa in AD 393 approved the present O.T. and N.T. canon for a total of 73 books.
• The council of Carthage in AD 397 approved the same O.T. and N.T. canons. This is the council which many Protestants take as authority for the N.T. canon
• Pope St. Innocent I (401-417 in AD 405 approved the 73 book canon and closed the Canon of the Bible. In other words, no other book can be added.
This was not an issue until 1517 at the Protestant Reformation, when Luther wanted the Epistle of James and all OT books not in the Jewish canon removed. Fortunately, he was not successful in regard to James. He did not approve of "Faith without works is dead" in James 2:14-22. He also added the word "alone' to his German translation of Romans 3:25.
Since I accept the Bible, by default, I must accept the authority of those who gave it to me, and declared it worthy of belief. Logically you cannot reject or accept one without rejecting or accepting the other. What is more Biblical an being a member of the Church which formed that very Bible? Unfortunately few Christians know where the canon of their Bibles came from.
No one can quote the Bible with authority without accepting the authority of the ones who told them it was authoritative. G.K. Chesterton, a convert to Catholicism, once wrote: "We do not need a Church that changes with the times, but a church that changes the times."
Walton Correctional Institute , Defuniak Springs Florida
Throughout the scriptures we are admonished to seek the Lord. Your must have to find God, but the search itself is a key component in that faith. The acting in faith and belief in God is what justifies us, and in the diligent search for Him the reward is Himself ( James 2:14-26, Heb 11:6).
In the fourth chapter of Deuteronomy (4:27-31), before sending Israel into the promised land, Moses called them to obedience to the statutes and judgments of the Lord. He warned them of the results of idolatry. If they will but turn from idols, hear his voice, and seek Him with all their hearts and souls, thy will find Him. He will not forsake or destroy them.
Beloved King David ( a man after God’s own heart ) charged his son, Solomon with building the House of the Lord. He wanted him to serve the Lord with a perfect heart. “Seek Him and He will be found, lest He cast you off forever.” ( 1 Chron 28:14) Solomon obeyed and built God’s home, them God told him in a dream that if the people will humble themselves, pray and seek His face, if they turn from their wicked ways, He will hear them also. ( 2 Chron 7: 14-15)
After the fall of the kingdom, Jeremiah told the Babylonian captives that after 70 years that they shall call upon the Lord, pray to Him, seek and find Him -- only when they do with all their hearts ( Jer 29:10-14a).
Moses, David, Solomon, and Jeremiah, from the birth of a nation until the death of a kingdom, one and all, said the same words – turn from wickedness, humble yourselves, and be obedient to His voice. Seek the Lord with all your heart and soul and He will be found.
In Psalm 119:9-16 ( 118 in Douay), the eight verses – an octave in Hebrew – all begin with the Hebrew letter “beth”. (Beth also means “house”, like Beth-el means house of God.) It symbolizes the necessity of taking the word of God into our own house.
In John 1:1 we are told that the word of God that we seek became flesh and dwelt among us, and is in reality Jesus Christ.
When being castigated by the Jews for a healing on the Sabbath, Jesus tells them that they search the scriptures where they believe they can find eternal life, but do not believe that He is the one to whom the Scriptures refer. They do not hear Him because God’s word does not abide within them. (John: 5:37-40)
At the Last Supper, Jesus told his apostles that those who love Him will keep His words, and that the Father and He would make their abode within them. ( John14:23) Paul affirms this when he reminds Christians that they are the temples of God, and that the spirit of God dwells within them. ( I Cor 3:16)
Today we typically seek and find the Lord through prayer, Scripture reading, and the sacraments – especially the Eucharist where He truly dwells within us as we consume His body and blood in Communion.
Recall the story of Mary an Joseph searching and finding Jesus in the Jerusalem temple ( Beth-El) after three days speaking with the scribes. When they asked why he was there, He replied “Did you not know that I’d be in My Father’s house?”
Yes, just like the patriarchs, prophets, kings, disciples, and even his earthly parents, we must all diligently seek Him if we are to find Him. And when we find Him, we must – like Mary and Joseph – take him home into our hearts.
“Thy word I have his in my heart that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 110:11 Douay)
By John M. Harvey, Estelle Unit, Huntsville, Texas
January 2015
Whenever I am asked about the word “martyr”, I cannot help but be reminded of the early Christians that were so viciously persecuted by the Romans all those centuries ago. Those men, women, and children were truly blessed saints as they died to entertain the masses at the hands of cruel gladiators, in the jaws of vicious animals, or in other heinous ways that only the most perverted of minds could have thought of at that time. Yet in the face of their imminent deaths, each one of these martyrs refused to denounce their intimate association with their risen Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.
Throughout the next centuries, all over the world, there have been many others that have joined these Roman-era martyrs in eternal glory because of their resilience and faithfulness. Whether in far off China or in current hot spots like Iraq, and despite the assurance of death, their example encourages the faithful to stand fast in the face of any adversity that they should be facing. Even though one such death is truly tragic, God is able to use that “bad” to promote faith by shining a bright light into the face of the darkness that is constantly trying to overcome this world one soul at a time.
I have often wondered that if I could gain a glimpse into heaven as St. John did, just what would these martyrs think about the acts done by the faithful in this day and age. After seeing what transpired since their death, would they consider their sacrifice to be void because of the lackadaisical attitude of the faithful today? Would the martyrs be able to hold their heads high because they see that we learned a valuable lesson because of their sacrifices all those years ago? Would these martyrs condone what is transpiring right now in this grand nation of ours? Or would these martyrs consider their sacrifices to in vain as thy see some of the moral choices this country has made concerning such things as faith, marriage, abortion, and general morals?
Many more martyrs will be made before the appointed time for this world is at an end. Are we willing to stand up and defy what society claims to be the norm when it comes into direct conflict with God’s law and will? God is raising up an army to counter the ever growing darkness. Will you be able to answer that call without a moment hesitation? Can you stand fast in the face of declining moral beliefs of a nation and maintain the laws set forth by God for us to live by? Many will say yes readily, but how many will remain steadfast whenever the blood begins to flow?
By Edward Cleveland Blackwater River Correctional Facility, Milton, FL
As with many biblical texts, the date of composition and the actual author is unknown. It could have been composed at any time after the rise of King David, as chapter 14 traces his lineage back to his grandparents – Boaz and Ruth.
It is a story of tragedy, love, and fidelity and redemption that begins in a time of famine in Judah. Elimelech of Bethlehem, his wife Naomi and their sons Mahlon and Chilion migrate from Judah to Moab in order to survive the famine. After a time, Elimelech dies. His sons marry Moabite women (Orpah and Ruth), but they die before fathering any children. Thus, Naomi and her daughters-in-law are left to fend for themselves.
At word that the famine in Judah has ended, Naomi decides to return to her kin. She tries to convince her daughters to stay in their land, remaining to start new live, but the loyalty of Ruth will not allow her to do so. Ruth returned with Naomi to Bethlehem while Orpah turned back.
In the struggle for life that followed, Ruth worked faithfully to support her mother-in –law as well as herself. She came to the notice of Boaz, kinsman to her deceased husband. In time, Boaz took her to wife, and redeemed the lands of her husband, Chilion, in accordance with the Law. Boaz married Ruth.
Boaz and Ruth begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David, king of Israel. And it is interesting that the grandmother of David was a Moabite.
Since much of the flavor of God’s word is lost through translation, or lack of historical knowledge or custom, let us examine, at least, the meanings of some of the names on this book. Elimelech (Naomi’s husband) means “God of Kings”, and he came from the “House of Bread” – Bethlehem. Naomi is “pleasant”, while Mahalon and Chilion are translated as “sick” and “consumption”. Orpah, the wife of Mahlon, who turned back ,means “mane” or “back of the neck”. When she left, that is what you saw, the back of her neck. Boaz is uncertain in translation, but Ruth means “friend”. That she proved to be.
These names are not accidents. There is a deeper meaning in the story than first meets the eye. Consider also the meaning of Moab, the nation of Ruth and Orpah. This word literally means “from the father” and is the name of one of the incestuous sons fathered by Lot on his daughter. Common or “inbred” is the son by his second daughter, and they are the fathers of the nations of Moab and Ammon. In Lot’s defense, he did not know, but was tricked into these acts by his daughters.
Sodom and Gomorrah lay in the southern plains of what came to be known as Moab. Though Abraham did not by himself, rescue his nephew Lot and his family from destruction, he did plead with the Lord for the salvation of the land. The land could not be saved, but God remembered Abraham, and his angels brought Lot out. Alas, Lot’s wife “turns back” and becomes a pillar of salt. Now, hundreds of years later, Elimelech, a descendant of Abraham, fleeing famine in the “home of bread” takes his family into Moab, where he and his sons eventually die. It is “friend” Ruth who comes out with his “pleasant” wife, while Oprah give them the “back of her neck”. Oprah’s action does not signify enmity, but the parallels to Lot’s exodus are interesting.
Abraham and Lot were uncle and nephew, not enemies. But, they did have to part ways to relieve tensions between their great households. That tension still exists between Israel and Moab – now Jordan. Perhaps, though, there is a message of hope hidden in the Book of Ruth. The angel of the Lord brought out Lot, but Ruth became the angel of love and fidelity for his descendant, Naomi. And she was redeemed by Boaz, which brought about David, then eventually the eternal redeemer, Jesus.
Through the generations Moab has been despised of the Lord. In Psalm 80, He calls it a His “washpot”, and it is prophesied against in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Zephaniah, and more. When Jesus went into the desert after baptism and was tested by Satan, He likely went into Moab. Yet it is where Deuteronomy 34 says the bones of Moses lie. And, yet again in Chapter 48 of Jeremiah, the Lord says He will redeem Moab in the latter days.
So, here is a simple tale of tragedy, love, fidelity and redemption woven together an inspired by the Holy Spirit and incorporated in His Word – the Scriptures. A simple story, but scratch the surface and a whole other world opens. The Mystery of God! It offers hope to Naomi trough redemption of Ruth. Does it offer hope for the nation of Moab through the redemption of the eternal Davidic King – Jesus? More than meets the eye.
I lave you with this thought: Ruth (friend) weds Boaz (name doesn’t translate) who is the grandfather of King David. Mary (whose name means bitter) weds the Holy Spirit who fathers Jesus. A lot of parallels for a simple story, penned a thousand years before the birth of Christ.
