Angel Jailbreak

I have a fondness for a certain subgenre of the Easter Season readings ... the Angel jailbreaks. They're all over the Acts of the Apostles, like today's 1st reading:

The high priest rose up and all his companions,
that is, the party of the Sadducees,
and, filled with jealousy,
laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail.
But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison,
led them out, and said,
"Go and take your place in the temple area,
and tell the people everything about this life." (Acts 5)

Others of the jailbreak stories are more humorous, but this one is meaningful and purpose filled. Whatever the bonds that are broken, whatever it is that has been holding us back that is now lifted by the love and light of Christ, what matters is what we do with our freedom. Do we keep it for ourselves, looking after mine and mine, or do we go out and tell the people everything about this life.

I know that it was this desire to share the love and healing that I'd received in returning to an active faith life, being part of a faith community, that was part of what helped me accept there might be something to this whole vocation thing after all. As the years pass by, it's easy to forget the intensity of your own angel jailbreak moments. Luckily, I recorded mine in an old journal entry:

Thanks to a combination of people and factors, I feel like a whole person these days. I know that I am loved and treasured, connected to all God's family, able at times at least to be peaceful, full of joy and wonder and awe at life and God's creation, and I want to share this "good news" with the world.

In a weird way, I think that experience explains this blog. Think of the blogosphere as the temple of our day!