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Dear Friends,
"Lord, I need a miracle today...."
Deacon Cynthia Montague hears these words daily in her
ministry as chaplain at the Monterey County Jail. "Lord,
I need a miracle today...." Cynthia often receives
notes, prayers or confessions of sorts, which in some
way beg for God's presence in the midst of hellish
circumstances. As I took a tour of the jail this week, I
was struck by the world's attempt to squash the
miraculous, both in the sinfulness that gets a person
there, and that of the system that houses them. I was
also struck by God's insidious and persistent ability to
be made known through the chaplain and volunteers that
bring good news into that place; the good intentions of
the staff to simply help people survive such long days
seemingly lacking in purpose; and the sheer, naked
experience of knowing God enough to beg for a miracle
today.
This weekend and on Christmas Eve, people will come to
our churches, and in their hearts, they may be asking
God for a miracle. Christmas is a time when even those
who are not usually very aware of God's presence, seek
it and feel it in "the spirit of Christmas". It is a
liminal time, when heaven and earth feel closer
together, when God and humanity are not so distant, when
people may feel safe enough to beg for a miracle.
As members of the body of Jesus, the incarnate one, we
are uniquely gifted and endowed to extend God's
miraculous presence, to be part of God working a miracle
in someone's life. We literally have it within each of
us to share. This Christmas, our churches will be places
of peaceful and gentle respite, AND brilliant and
striking life change. Silent Night or Hark the Herald
Angels Sing - God can be quiet and gentle, or loud and
boisterous! As you worship in these coming days, be
mindful of the stranger next to you who comes seeking
the spirit of Christmas, just as you do. Be mindful that
they come with a story, and they may be in need of a
miracle today. Be mindful that you are gifted with the
presence of Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit to share
it, in ways quiet and gentle or loud and prophetic.
I am mindful of prisoners this Christmas. That can be
metaphorical as well as physical, and surely Christ sets
us free on all sorts of levels. When I asked Cynthia
what we the diocese could do to help her ministry, she
responded that she needs money for her discretionary
fund to buy books of greater theological diversity for
the prison library, as well as publications such as
Forward Day by Day. This would help her open up the life
of faith to more prisoners, and offers us a way to be
part of God's miracle in someone's life. Checks may be
sent to 'Cynthia Montague Discretionary Fund', marked
'jail ministry' to Church of the Good Shepherd, 301
Corral de Tierra, Salinas, CA 93908.
On another note, surely, we know Episcopalians in San
Joaquin are praying for a miracle. You can be part of
that miracle of God's powerful presence by sending a
Christmas greeting of love, support, and the freedom we
know in Christ, to
www.remainepiscopal.org . I had initially thought to
publish a list of clergy names so that we could send
individual cards, however, we have been advised that
Remain Episcopal is the best way to offer support. If
you want to make a donation to Remain Episcopal, you can
send that to:
Remain Episcopal
c/o Holy Family Episcopal Church
2067 W. Alluvial
Fresno, CA 93711
God is calling you to share the presence of Christ this
Christmas. Stay open - wonder - how that opportunity may
come. May we faithfully be part of God working a miracle
in someone's life this Christmas.
May your heart be filled with the freeing and abiding
Love of Christ this Christmas and always,
+Mary
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