April 2009 Monthly Message

Dear Family, Friends, and Supporters:

Welcome to my Monthly Message for April 2009!

I’m sorry for starting so many messages with news about the weather, but so far April has been one cold, sunless month. I started my jogging routine at the beginning of April, and let me tell you, it’s been miserable. It was sleeting during one of my three mile runs just a few days ago. I guess I shouldn’t complain, because it is only a matter of time before the heat gets here. It is just hard running in the rain when you have to come back in and lock up in a cell the size of a closet with another person soaking wet. Oh well, that’s prison life.

My transfer to MCI Norfolk was denied so I will be staying here at OCCC. Though there are a few good things here, they are becoming out-weighed by the growing difficulty of trying to stay out of trouble. The latest rule they want to implement is we can no longer go on any other tier to talk with another inmate or deliver a newspaper, magazine or book. This is in our own unit that we are locked in! There used to be a time where prisoners could just stay out of trouble and do their time, but not anymore – they want to punish us even more.

Alright, let me talk about something that is actually important. The earthquake that hit L’Aquila, Italy killed almost 300 people and left around 15,000 people homeless. In addition, it destroyed many ancient buildings that draw millions of tourists every year. Many of the buildings damaged in the quake dated from the Middle Ages or the Renaissance era including a famous bell tower of a 16th century Basilica. I saw one story where a dog laid on the remains of a collapsed home and rescue crews couldn’t get the dog to leave only to find days later, the owners were buried under the rubble exactly where the dog was lying. There was another story that was more hopeful when rescue workers pulled a 20 year old woman alive from a collapsed building two days after the main quake struck. That was pretty much a miracle – never mind that it was a five story building on top of her. And then, how about the 98 year old woman who was rescued from the wreckage alive and well! The only thing she wanted was her hair brush so she could brush her hair. Yeah, it seems no matter how you look at it, when it is not your time to go – it is not your time. Please keep the survivors and the families of those who died in your prayers.

Also, I know there have been a lot of unnecessary killings – like the most recent one in Binghamton, NY where a gunman killed 13 people at an immigrant community center. In addition, there have been the recent school shootings throughout our country and don’t forget the school shooting in Germany too. Believe it or not, on April 20th, it will have been ten years since the Columbine shooting in Colorado. Yeah, it is hard to comprehend, but we need to keep all of those families in our prayers as well. There was one death recently that made me realize sometimes there is nothing we can do when our time is up. I am talking about the simple skiing accident of actress Natasha Richardson who was married to the actor Liam Neeson. She was only 45 years old, and to think when Liam almost died in a severe motorcycle accident a few years earlier, she couldn’t bear the thought of raising her two sons alone. Now, she is gone and Liam is left to raise the boys without their mother. I tell you, life is tough – we never really know what challenge we will be given next.

This brings me to an individual who had to face one of the most difficult challenges anyone should ever have to endure, and he did it for us. I am talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. When you really think about it, he was murdered. When it is under the law, it is supposed to be okay. I will be thinking of Jesus during the spirit of Easter this year, especially after I read the greatest description of what it was like for Jesus to die on the cross. The name of the book is “Nearer My God” by William F. Buckley, Jr. There is a chapter called “The Crucifixion Examined”, and imagine that was written by Maria Valtorta that he quotes. I’m telling you – even the movie “The Passion of Christ” does not come close to what this woman described. It is so unbelievable; it is almost as though she was there from the first words of the chapter to the last words Jesus spoke “Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani!” Let’s not forget to personally thank Jesus for his sacrifice.

My movie recommendation is for those of you who (like me) don’t think we are worthy of a miracle. It is called “Henry Poole is Here” starring Luke Wilson. As slow of a movie as it was, I haven’t cried that hard since losing my daughters. The funny thing is after they showed the movie, I asked over fifty inmates if they watched it. Most said “no” because they thought it was an independent film and others thought it was just too slow and serious with a spiritual overtone. Even the inmates in my Bible Study Groups didn’t watch it! There wasn’t one person I could talk to about the movie. It made me think maybe the Lord played it just for me? Yeah, I know wishful thinking, but like I said, if you need a miracle but don’t feel as though you are worthy, it is a must see.

My profound statement is: “Only a life lived for others is worth living”. (Albert Einstein)

Happy Easter everyone! Until next month, take care and remember: “The key to the mysteries of life hide in the pain of our most difficult experiences”.

Love and light to all,

Michael