Advent 2 (C) + Jesus, our home + 12.9.18

M. Campbell-Langdell

All Santos, Oxnard

(Baruch 5:1–9; Canticle 16; Philippians 1:3–11; St Luke 3:1–6)

“For God has ordered that every high mountain and the everlasting hills be made low
and the valleys filled up, to make level ground,
so that Israel may walk safely in the glory of God.” (Baruch 5:7)

I have not yet made it to the Holy Land. That is in my sabbatical plans for next year. However I have heard that the region of that part of the Middle East has extremely rough terrain. We are not talking huge mountains all the time but just enough hills and rocky ground in the wilderness areas to make it rough going. And the heat, scorching! So that those attempting to journey always fear the heat and the unforgiving terrain.

These words, spoken to a people in exile, are a source of hope. A promise that God will not only bring them back home, but that God will bring them home in such a way that they will be kept safe from heat and God will even miraculously make their way smooth. God will guide their feet into the way of peace. They will be brought home.

Thinking of this image, I think of the undocumented woman who walked back into our parish hall last week after a journey to Mexico and back. She said that the way was hard on her return. Imagine God telling her that the path back home (or at least to this home she has adopted) would be made smooth. What a promise! That is kind of how I imagine God speaking to the exiles here.

This return home also has emotional resonance for our diocese of late. Many of you know that one of the churches in our diocese had split off from the Episcopal Church several years back and our previous bishop had to fight to keep it in the diocese. He then attempted to sell the incredibly valuable piece of church property belonging to a church that had previously been dying. His thought was that this amazing bit of real estate would fund needed ministry. The only trick was that in between defending the property from those in an Anglican break off group and his attempts to sell the property, he encouraged a small group to re-form the congregation, and it took off! And all of a sudden a very strong congregation did not want to lose its church. And they were locked out, and they acted out in response. And that caused a lot of pain in the diocese. And no way of telling this story from the outside really does it justice, so forgive me for that. But the long and short of it, is that the church was not allowed to be present at the previous convention due to the actions of the church leadership against the bishop.

So this past year our new bishop’s office leadership has led us in work with the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center- not just to heal this rift but also to work on healing some of the many wounds that just occur over the years of doing ministry together- ways in which people of color have felt slighted, ways in which diocesan staff have been under-compensated, ways in which far-flung parishes have felt secondary to the parishes nearer the LA center of the diocese.

And so at this diocesan convention a vote was taken to re-accept St. James the Great as a congregation acknowledged by the diocese.

And there was only one speaker, a priest named Ian Davies, who spoke about the road to reconciliation being long but that it was work worth doing and that he was in support of this decision. And almost everyone voted in favor.

That moment at convention felt like a leveled valley. We will continue the intentional work with the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, but God used this past year for healing, and we have made clear progress.

Not all the rocks have been removed from the terrain. There were still a handful who voted against the measure. Why? There are many reasons. But it’s a start. God is bringing us home to each other.

We saw this is in other ways at convention. Priests under long term censure such as those prevented from drinking alcohol at parish events or under other types of limitations, but who are still deemed fit for active ministry, were also allowed to have not only a seat, but also voice and vote at convention.

Make the ground level. We were invited by Bishop Taylor to “Come home … to where our sibling is never the enemy, no matter who they are or what they believe,” … He invited our gathering to “stand[s] in gracious contrast to the way the world is now a world of division and polarization, scapegoating and us-versus-them thinking.” (https://diocesela.org/uncategorized/2018conventionreport1/)

Come home… how are you invited home this Advent? Our diocese is coming home to itself.

But also this week we saw a nation come home (to our Episcopal National Cathedral) to honor a president. Not all loved him and some were hurt by his actions, while some were helped greatly. But many recognized a person who strove to stand up for what he thought was right. How do we stand up for what we value and believe even while respecting the different opinions of others? How do we advocate for those who may be hurt by others’ actions? Some of us will be doing our version of that speaking in solidarity with immigrants at the Ventura Government Center this afternoon.

While we walk in the valley of this life, we know many ups and downs, many challenges, but we persevere. We persevere because our whole life, God is actively working to level our way, protect us from the raging heat, and at the last will bring us home. We know that the one who began a good work among us will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.

I had a great conversation with the rector of St. John’s, Chico this week, Fr. Richard. Susan Helm may meet him today. But we talked about how his community is supporting Paradise and other little towns around there up North who were devastated by the Camp Fire. He is strong. They are strong. They are caring for each other’s material needs as well as mental and spiritual health. I learned how we can support from afar. The gift cards you all generously helped us give last week were an amazing start! Those folks may never be home again in the same way, but we people of faith, can help show them home in God and what new home looks like.

Cal Lutheran students got a taste of home this week when local community members brought homemade quilts and blankets to share with the students. One person described the students all wrapped up in their blankets as looking like “little burritos” – what a cute image! And what a blessing – to give them a sense of home in a time that has felt anything but comforting for them.

We see many around us trekking up hills, and entering valleys of grief.

But all of us are on a journey. A journey home. This Advent and always.

And we know that ultimately, Jesus is our home. What have we heard again? “All flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

How can you come home this Advent? And how is this Advent a part of your continued journey home to God?

Amen.