“Former Wall Street Lawyer Finds New Purpose in Florida Prison Ministry”

(Vatican News Network) In the spring of 1986, Dale Recinella (Dale Recinella) and his wife Susan (Susan) decided to build their dream house in Tallahassee’s most elegant neighborhood. However, during a mass , they heard the story of the rich young man in the Gospel of Mark (Mark 10:17-25). This reading was of great significance to them, and they began to think: Did Jesus really mean what He said?

In search of answers, the couple decided not to discuss the issue, but to pray and study the Bible alone. After six months of thinking, they concluded that Jesus meant exactly what He said. So they decided to change their current way of life and go to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God.

Afterwards they gave up their original house and started helping people in the center of the city, taking part in retreats in the parish. They also slowly realize that material wealth and status are not the most important things. During this time, too, God is carrying out his plan.

During a retreat, a verse from the Bible caught Recinella’s attention: So do not be anxious and say: What shall we eat, what shall we drink, and what shall we wear? For all these things the Gentiles seek; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these will be added to you (Mt 6:31-33). This passage clarifies Recinella’s motive: the search for the kingdom of God.

So, Recinella asked himself: “How can I seek the kingdom of God?” His parish priest told him: Prayer helps us to see the world and ourselves from the eyes of God.

Then, something happened that made Recinella learn how to see the world and herself.

Once, on the way to attend a meeting in Recinella, he encountered a homeless person begging for him. He chose to turn a blind eye because he was afraid of being embarrassed by his peers. But then I thought of a sentence in the Bible: Give to anyone who asks you (Luke 6:30), which made Resinella turn back to look for the wanderer. When she found the wanderer Dennis (Dennis), Resinella Ra also realized that he was seriously ill, and finally found a medical institution that could accommodate Dennis after many twists and turns. Before Dennis left for the medical facility, Recinella prayed with him in the church. Recinella prayed to Jesus to help him know how to face Dennis, from the initial dislike of Dennis and keeping a distance, to the final disappearance of fear and panic, and he hugged Dennis tightly with his arms, crying together with him.

After parting ways with Dennis, Recinella returned to the hotel, where there were comedians, cocktails, vacation discussions, shopping, business. All this was familiar to Recinella, but she felt that she was in a foreign land. The world he had thought to be the real world, turned out to be an illusion, was the world God had made him see; and Recinella realized that God saw his soul, a troubled and broken soul, It was just as sick as he’d seen Dennis in need of help.

In the end, when Recinella looked at the clothes, jewelry, and champagne in front of him, he yelled from the bottom of his heart the same words that Dennis yelled over and over again when he was teaching: God, don’t let me die like this!

Recinella’s prayer was answered.

Like the thief in the night, the Kingdom of God has come.

Link URL:www.vaticannews.cn