Redemption of the Convicted

As Advent approaches, we should stop and remember that the preparation for Christmas is more than shopping, but for Christians it is a time of preparation for the arrival of the King.  There is a reason why both Advent and Lent share the liturgical color of purple - because it is  a season of seeking redemption and atonment.  As the old carol goes:

God and sinners reconciled!

So a perfect story to read is this series that is presently being presented in the Los Angeles Times:

"This is going to be the best place for you now," said Madrona, a healthy inmate who had worked at the hospice for two years.

"Six months," Garcia replied. That was how much time a doctor had given him. He grimaced. He was now the hospice's youngest patient, only 24 and with colon cancer.

The tattoos on his head glistened with sweat, but he puffed out his chest, trying to act tough. To Madrona, 35, he seemed like a mixed-up kid — the kind Madrona had been years before.

"We will take care of you," Madrona said. "No matter what, I will be here for you."

Maybe by helping Garcia, he thought, he could make amends for the terrible thing he had done as a young man. Maybe he could find redemption.

Read it and weep/marvel/wonder at the depth of humanity.