Richard Littledale
Richard Littledale
radio microphone
BBC Radio 2Sarah Kennedy Show
Pause for Thought
Richard Littledale: Series 10, Number 5
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Tuesday 25 August 2009

Just recently I found myself spending an afternoon 'at her majesty's pleasure' in one of London's grim old prisons. No it wasn't on account of my fiery preaching contravening any laws. Nor had the fashion police finally caught up with me for infringements of acceptable dress. In fact I chose to go.

Admittedly it wasn't the most appealing of settings. It was one of London's Victorian prisons, with great soaring walls, narrow echoing corridors, and netting strung out across every landing. In fact, for those of you who remember 'Porridge' on TV of old - it was just like that. As I made my way along one of the landings to the chapel, I could feel several pairs of eyes boring into me, and I was very grateful for the staff who accompanied me.

But, do you know, I'd do it again tomorrow if I had the opportunity. Perhaps I should explain. I had been invited as a guest to attend the last session of a six-week course on forgiveness and restorative justice. Using the Bible story of Zaccheus, a nasty money-grabbing little tax-collector who preyed on his community, the prisoners had been reflecting on their past actions and the consequences of them. There were no holds barred, and they all took a very honest look at themselves and what they had done. To hear them talk about 'seeing themselves' in the story and to hear many of them resolve to live differently in the future, was an amazing privilege. It was quite an experience, too, acting out the story alongside one or two who probably knew a lot more about extorting money from others than I did!

The thing is, I've dwelt with that story for years. I've told people, young and old, all about little Zaccheus and his selfish ways. I've preached sermons on his encounter with Jesus and how it changed him. But somehow, seeing it in this strange context where I felt out of place and a little fearful, made it all come to life. Perhaps the reality of the prisoners' situations made the story seem all the more real. Seeing them take it seriously and measure their lives against it made me do the same.

As I stepped out of the prison gates into the sunshine I felt relief, as you might expect. But I also felt envy, believe it or not. I envied these men their straightforward grasp of what the story was all about - and resolved to hold onto it if I can.

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© BBC 2009
This talk by Richard Littledale was first broadcast as BBC Radio 2's
breakfast time "Pause for Thought" during the Sarah Kennedy show.
It is reproduced here by permission of the BBC.