Fully Alive in God

(from: http://blogdoprvicentedeodato.blogspot.com/ 2011/03/jesus-era-um-rebelde.html Melissa Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Exodus 17:1–7; Ps. 78:1–4, 12–16; Philippians 2:1–13; Matthew 21:23–32) Some of the immortal words of David Bowie’s song “Rebel, Rebel” go thus: “They put you down, they say I'm wrong You tacky thing, you put them on Rebel Rebel, you've torn your dress Rebel Rebel, your face is a mess Rebel Rebel, how could they know? Hot tramp, I love you so!” [1] Now, you may ask why I think of rebellion on a day like today, when we read “the song of Christ’s humility,” and are reminded that: Jesus, “being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name....” (Phil 2:8-9a) Yes, it is true that Jesus humbled himself, but humility and obedience are very interesting, dynamic things in our multi...

(De: http://blogdoprvicentedeodato.blogspot.com/ 2011/03/jesus-era-um-rebelde.html) Melissa Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard ( Éxodo 17:1–7; Salmo 78:1–4, 12–16; Filipenses 2:1–13; San Mateo 21:23–32) Algunas de las palabras inmortales de una canción de David Bowie van así: “Rebel Rebel, you've torn your dress Rebel Rebel, your face is a mess Rebel Rebel, how could they know? [Hot tramp,] I love you so!” [1] Yo amo la gente rebelde. Pero posiblemente Ustedes se están preguntando por que yo alabo a la gente rebelde hoy en día. No es cierto que escuchamos sobre Jesús: “ se humilló a sí mismo, Haciéndose obediente hasta la muerte, Hasta la muerte en la cruz. Por eso Dios le dio el más alto honor Y el más excelente de todos los nombres….” (Fil 2:8-9ª) Si, Jesús se hizo humilde ante Dios para cumplir su misión en el mundo. Pero también recordamos que la obediencia y la humildad son cosas complejas dentro de nuestra tradición judeo-cristiana. Yes, Jesus...

M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Exodus 16:2–15; Ps. 105:1–6, 37–45; Philippians 1:21–30; Matthew 20:1–16) Draw near to the Lord (Exodus 16:9b). You may have heard Alene, Genesis, and I adopted a dog this spring. In fact, the dog, Zip, belongs to Genesis, but the reality is that God has placed her in all of our lives. And we have had to learn so much! Alene and I are more accustomed to having cats, at least in our adult lives. So having a dog has forced us to learn a lot! But she does this one very sweet thing when she wants to feel more secure. She comes up to us and begins to sort of lean against our legs. Is like a small hug. And it is very touching. So maybe this is why this verse from the book of Exodus hit me today, in this phrase from Moses: "Draw near to the Lord." I d o not know about you, but I've felt much need to lean on the Lord in recent weeks. It almost seems that each new day upon awaking, we hear of another hurricane or another ea...

M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard ( Éxodo 16:2–15; Salmo 105:1–6, 37–45; Filipenses 1:21–30; San Mateo 20:1–16) Draw near to the Lord. Que se acerquen a la presencia del Señor (Éxodo 16:9b). Posiblemente Ustedes ya saben que Alene, Génesis y yo obtuvimos una perra esta primavera. De hecho, la perra, Zip, pertenece a Génesis pero la realidad es que Dios la ha puesto en las vidas de las tres de nosotras. Y ¡hemos tenido que aprender tanto! Alene y yo estamos más acostumbradas a tener gatos en nuestras vidas adultas. So having a dog has made us learn a lot! Así que hemos tenido que aprender mucho sobre su cuidado. Pero ella hace una cosa linda cuando quiere sentir más segura. Nos acerca, y se empieza a apoyar por nuestras piernas. Es como un pequeño abrazo. Y es muy tierno. It is so sweet when she leans on us when she wants comfort! Así que, posiblemente por esto, leyendo esta lectura del libro de Éxodo de hoy, vi esta frase de Moisés: “Que se acerquen a la presencia ...

(de / from prweb.com) M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard ( Éxodo 14:19–31; Salmo 114; Romanos 14:1–12; San Mateo 18:21–35) Ayer, hace muchos años, en el pequeño pueblo de Dolores en México, un sacerdote dio un grito a la gente indígena. Dijo: “ Mis hijos… una nueva dispensación viene a nosotros hoy en día ¿La recibirán? ¿Se liberarán a sí mismos? ¿Recuperarán las tierras robadas por trescientos años de sus antepasados por los españoles odiados?” [1] Yesterday many years hence in 1810 in a small town named Dolores in Mexico, a priest named Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla said to the indigenous people: “My Children, a new dispensation comes to us today…Will you free yourselves? Will you recover the lands stolen 300 years ago from your forefathers by the hated Spaniards? We must act at once.” [2] And thus began the Mexican independence movement. In just a little while horses and trumpets and swirling dancers will appear out this door to remind us of that fateful day. El desf...

(From Diana Glyer's Clay in the Potter's Hands) M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Exodus 12:1–14; Ps. 149; Romans 13:8–14; Matthew 18:15–20) What do you owe others? Or what do you think others think that you owe? Walking out of the church on Thursday, a lady approached me, asking for help. I told her that I was headed to the home of a parishioner to take him Holy Communion but that she could return the next day and we could see if we could at least help with a portion of her need. This month, thanks to some extra assistance which is almost finished, we have helped more than seven families with different needs when we can. A large portion of my work in the office has to do with helping the less fortunate. And what a blessing it is to help as I can, not only with money from the church when we have it, but also connecting people with other resources. But in all of this I have come to realize that many people have high expectations of the church, even or esp...

(From Diana Glyer's Clay in the Potter's Hands) M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard ( Éxodo 12:1–14; Salmo 149; Romanos 13:8–14; San Mateo 18:15–20) ¿Qué deuda deben Ustedes a los demás? O ¿qué piensa que los demás piensan que Ustedes deben? Al salir de la iglesia el día jueves, una señora me acerc ó pidiendo ayuda.  Yo le dije que estaba en camino para llevar la Santa Comunión a la casa de un feligrés pero que pudiera regresar el día siguiente y pudiéramos ver si a lo menos pudiéramos ayudar con una porción de su necesidad. Este mes, gracias a una ayuda que casi se acaba, hemos ayudado a más de siete familias con diferentes necesidades Cuando podemos, una gran porción de mi trabajo en la oficina tiene que ver con ayudar a los menos afortunados. Y es una bendición, ayudar como puedo, no solo con dinero por parte de la iglesia pero con otros recursos. Pero en todo esto me he dado cuenta de que mucha gente tiene muchas expectativas de la iglesia, aun cuando n...

M. Campbell-Langdell All Saints, Oxnard (Exodus 3:1–15; Ps. 105:1–6, 23–26, 45b; Romans 12:9–21; Matthew 16:21–28) An advertisement from Apple’s “Think Different” campaign of the 1990s featured a picture of Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) and a quote: “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.” Think different. I think it could be a catchphrase for today’s readings, too, especially the gospel reading. Here is Jesus talking with the core group of disciples and Peter is there and he is amped. He has just had the spiritual high of recognizing just who Jesus is. He is the Messiah! And Jesus has affirmed in the scripture we heard last week that this is God’s revelation to Peter. And then wham! Comes this conversation. At first it begins in a reasonable way. Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah of the Jewish people, will go to Jerusalem, the holy city. Makes sense, right. We are following you so far Jesus. But then the story takes a strange...