Fully Alive in God

image from:  http://www.blogos.org/organicfruit/jesus-love.html M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Isaiah 2:1–5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11–14; Matthew 24:36–44) “Ten-year-old ‘Josh’ came home from school to an empty house.  His mother, normally at home to greet him, was nowhere to be found. She might have been at the store or at a neighbor’s, but Josh was terrified. His immediate response was a terrible fear that all his family had been ‘Raptured’ without him.  Josh was sure he had been left behind.” [1] So begins a chapter in Barbara R. Rossing’s book, The Rapture Exposed, narrating a typical incident in the life of a child who has been raised with the particular and relatively recent concept of the Rapture favored by some aspects of the evangelical Christian tradition.  A quick Facebook survey (very technical) told me that this is not an uncommon experience if you were raised within certain Christian traditions.  If you weren’t raised with...

(image from:  http://www.blogos.org/organicfruit/jesus-love.html ) M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard ( Isaías 2:1–5; Salmo 122; Romanos 13:11–14; Mateo 24:36–44) “Un niño de diez a ñ os de edad, ‘Josh,’ regres ó a la casa un día después de la escuela.  Su mama siempre le salud ó , pero ese día ella no estaba. Pudiera haber estado en la tienda o en la casa de un vecino, pero Josh temía mucho.  Su respuesta inmediata a la situación fue que toda su familia había sido llevada en el arrebatamiento.  Josh estaba seguro de que a él le habían dejado atrás.” [1] Así, traducido, empieza un capítulo de un libro por Barbara R. Rossing llamado “The Rapture Exposed,” que habla del concepto cristiano del arrebatamiento o “rapto”. Este es el concepto de que antes de venir a juzgar el mundo por final, Jesús viene en secreto y va a llevar a solo los creyentes más fieles al cielo consigo.  Este tipo de miedo es muy común en un niño que esta criado con este co...

M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard ibotube.com (Jer. 23:1–6;  Canticle 16 BCP; Col. 1:11–20; Luke 23:33–43) “Press play, don’t press pause” goes a popular song you may have heard.  It is called “One Love,” by Macklemore.  And it’s about sharing love with others.  It is, if you will, a statement of inclusive hip hop theology.  Today is Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of the liturgical year, and a very important feast of the church.  Today we recognize and honor Christ as the King of all of our hearts.  But in today’s gospel we are also reminded that Jesus was not an ordinary king. Because, faced with his death, we know that Jesus had the opportunity to press pause, to avoid all that was coming down the pike.  To shirk his passion and death.  In the garden of Gethsemane, we can see he is sorely tempted to do just that.  Let this cup pass.  But then it switches.  Not my will, but thine. Jesus presses...

M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard ibotube.com ( Jeremías 23:1–6; Cántico 9 LOC; Colosenses 1:11–20; San Lucas 23:33–43) Presiona play, no presione pausa.  “Press play, don’t press pause” goes a song that some of you may have heard.  Esta llamado “One Love,” por Macklemore.  Y es sobre compartir el amor con todos, de no tener una teología ni una manera de pensar limitado. Hoy es la fiesta de Cristo Rey, es el último domingo del a ñ o litúrgico, y es un domingo bien importante para la iglesia.  Reconocemos que Cristo es el rey de todos nuestros corazones.  Pero en el evangelio de hoy estamos también recordados que Cristo no es un rey normal.  Porque, enfrentando su muerte, sabemos que Jesús tenía la oportunidad de empujar pausa, de evitar todo lo que iba a pasar con su pasión y muerte.  It is clear that Jesus had the opportunity to press pause on his passion and death, and in the garden of Gethsemane he is sorely tempted to do just ...

M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (From:  http://gruenagency.com/gruen-compass-part-2 ) (Is. 65:17-25; Is. 12; 2 Thess. 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19) Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right. I do not think I am the only one here today who thinks that sometimes, living in this world is overwhelming.  I am overwhelmed, hearing about the ten thousand dead in the Philippines, about the continued struggles of so many in our midst.  Sometimes we see so much need around us that we can feel paralyzed or guilty.  We can sometimes seem so far away from that heavenly vision of Jerusalem in Isaiah 65.  “They shall not hurt or destroy on my holy mountain, says the LORD (Isaiah 65:25b).” When will we see this come to pass? Yet there are those of us who find, in the midst of the injustices of the world, the calamities that can strike, an inner compass. From where do they get their strength? First Isaiah, or the first of the three prophets th...

M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (From:  http://gruenagency.com/gruen-compass-part-2 ) (Is. 65:17-25; Is. 12; 2 Tes. 3:6-13, Lucas 21:5-19) Pero Ustedes, hermanos, no se cansan de hacer el bien. No creo que sea la única aquí que a veces piensa que vivir en este mundo es abrumador.  I am probably not the only one here who sometimes finds living in this world overwhelming.  Es demasiado, escuchar de los diez mil muertos en las Filipinas, o escuchar de otras dos matanzas en Oxnard, o de las necesidades de los en nuestro alrededor.  A veces vemos tanta necesidad a nuestro alrededor que sentimos pena.  A veces todo vea muy lejos de la visión brillante de Isaías— ¿dónde está esa montana de paz, en que nadie se muere joven?  “They shall not hurt or destroy on my holy mountain, says the LORD (Isaiah 65:25b).”  When will we see this pass?  Pero hay los en nuestro mundo, quienes en el medio de todas las inquietudes, después de todo, en...