John of Capistrano - Italy - 15th century

It is easy to forget the good work that prison tries to do. The prison aims to reform, to heal the person, rather than to punish .John Capistrano reformed when he went to prison .He became an inspiration for Europe. He was chosen by Popes for all kinds of charity and peace making missions. At 70 years of age he led an army against the Turks, in the name of the cross.....not a very Christian ideal. But at least he was enthusiastic, if not perfect .

Perhaps we need a kind of prison solitude, a desert seclusion, to find our soul, our inner mirror. Like the tree, our  human roots go deep down into darkness that is full of life, and we grow outwards to the world with outstretched, branched arms. With our respect for the roots, the branches won’t balance .Our inner thoughts, memory, imagination, need time and attention.