Fully Alive in God

  Melissa Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Exodus 24:12–18; Pa. 99; Peter 1:16–21; Matthew 17:1–9)   When I was a young adult studying in Chile, I had the opportunity to go on a special weekend retreat for youth and young adults led by a traveling group of missionaries. It was powerful, and came at a time when I was really beginning to think about the ministry as God’s call on my future. I felt that religious high you sometimes feel when you just feel connected to God and in love with the world. And I talked to a seminarian doing fieldwork in Santiago, who wisely cautioned me that the mountaintop moment would not last forever. At some point, I would come down, and that was okay too. We need both. The mountaintop moments and the everyday living out of our faith. Today, Jesus comes out as divine on the mountaintop. Was it the thin air at the top of the mountain that led to this mystical revelation? We do know that on mountaintops, mysterious things can happen. In ...

  Melissa Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Éxodo 24:12–18; Salmo 99 2; San Pedro 1:16–21; San Mateo 17:1–9) Cuando fui una joven adulta estudiando en Chile, tuve la oportunidad de asistir a un retiro espiritual muy especial. Me llenó de una conexión preciosa con Dios. Y hablé con un seminarista que estaba haciendo ministerio en Santiago y me dijo que yo estaba en el tiempo encima de la montaña, pero que no iba a durar para siempre. Siempre tenemos que bajar de la montaña, pero es importante tener momentos así y recordarlos. Hoy, Jesús tiene un momento especial en una montaña. Sabemos que las montañas suelen ser lugares muy espirituales en la Biblia. No sé si es el aire distinto, pero la revelación mística no es común en las montañas. Hay otros momentos en las Escrituras en los que Jesús hace cosas milagrosas, pero muchas veces él parece muy ordinario, aun cuando hace cosas inusuales. Así que este momento es especial. Los discípulos ven a Moisés y a Elías al lado de Jes...

M. Campbell-Langdell+ All Santos, Oxnard (Is. 58:1-9a [9b-12]; S. 112: 1-9 [10]; 2 Cor. 2:1-12 [13-16]; Mat. 5:13-20) Jesús dijo: “Ustedes son la sal de este mundo.” (Mat. 5:13ª) En un día grande y lleno de promesa, en marzo de 1930, en la ciudad de Dandi, en India, Mohandas K. Gandhi y un grupo de sus seguidores iniciaron lo que llamaría la Marcha de la Sal, una caminata de 24 días y 240 millas, recorriendo la costa sur de la India. La idea de la marcha fue protestar el hecho de que el gobierno británico recaudaba impuestos en la producción de sal, uno de los elementos necesarios a la vida humana.  Gandhi and his followers nonviolently protested the Salt Tax because this was an element vital to human life that epitomized the oppression that India was feeling at that moment in history.  Gandhi no solo protestaba para mejorar su vida, sino también para mejorar las vidas de todos. Esta marcha atraía mucha atención en todo el mundo, no solo del movimiento por la indepen...

  M. Campbell-Langdell+ All Santos, Oxnard (Is. 58:1-9a [9b-12]; Ps. 112: 1-9 [10]; 2 Cor. 2:1-12 [13-16]; Mat. 5:13-20)   Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth.” (Matthew 5:13a) On a fateful day in March 1930, in the Indian city of Dandi, Mohandas K. Gandhi and a group began what became the Salt March, a twenty-four-day, 240-mile march down the coast of India. The idea of the march was to protest the fact that the British government levied a tax on salt production and, therefore, on salt, an element basic to human life. Gandhi and his followers nonviolently protested the tax they saw as unjust, not just to better the lives of a small group of people, but because this was crippling the poor of India. This march drew international attention not only to the cause of Indian independence but also set the bar high for future nonviolent actions against perceived injustices. Gandhi would be a mentor for many, including our own Martin Luther King, Jr. [1] Zoom back ...

  M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Miqueas/Micah 6:1–8; Ps/Salmo 15; 1 Cor. 1:18–31; Matthew/San Mateo 5:1–12) “Escucha con misericordia las súplicas de tu pueblo, y en nuestro tiempo concédenos tu paz.” “Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace.” This we ask in our collect today, but we haven’t been feeling entirely peaceful recently, have we? So much has been going on in our world, so many things that make us sad and angry. As I mentioned last week, there are helpers too, those who are trying to show a better way. But we are right to feel broken-hearted about the damage being done to our communities. Pedimos la paz hoy, pero no he sentido mucha paz recientemente. No sé de ustedes. Hay tanto que está sucediendo en el mundo, y estos eventos nos hacen enojados y tristes. Como mencioné la semana pasada, hay quienes están ayudando y tratando de mostrar un camino mejor. Pero también es cierto que somos tristes y reconoce...

  M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Isaías 9:1–4 ; Salmo 27:1, 5–13; 1 Corintios 1:10–18; San Mateo 4:12–23) ¡Buenos días y bienvenidos! Las famosas "instrucciones para vivir la vida" de Mary Oliver, extraídas de su poema "Sometimes", dicen lo siguiente: Instrucciones para vivir la vida: Presta atención. Asómbrate. Cuéntalo. [1] Las lecturas de hoy parecen tratar sobre prestar atención, asombrarse y contar de su experiencia. Hoy, mientras continuamos en el tiempo de Epifanía, tenemos otra historia del llamado de los discípulos de Jesús. Jesús dice: "Vuélvanse a Dios, porque el reino de los cielos está cerca". Estas son las mismas palabras que usó Juan el Bautista, y algunos se preguntan qué quiso decir Jesús con "vuélvanse". Hay quienes señalan que la palabra "vuélvanse" no solo puede ser un llamado a reconciliarse con Dios, sino también una especie de "¡Atención!", "Presten atención" o alg...

  M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Isaiah 9:1–4 ; Ps. 27:1, 5–13; 1 Corinthians 1:10–18; Matthew 4:12–23)   Good morning and welcome! Mary Oliver’s famous “instructions for living a life” from her poem, “Sometimes,” go like this: Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it. [1] Today’s readings seem to be about paying attention, being astonished, and telling about it. Today, as we continue in Epiphany season, we have another call story of the disciples of Jesus. Jesus says, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven has come near.” These are the same words that John the Baptist used, and some wonder at what Jesus meant by repent. There are those who point out that the word “repent” may not just be a call to get right with God, but also a sort of “Heads Up!” “Pay Attention” or something like that. When I was at a rally at a park in Ventura last Saturday, one of the speakers told us to “Wake the Heck up,” although in less polit...

  M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Is. 49:1–7; Ps. 40:1–11; 1 Cor. 1:1–9; Jn. 1:29–42) Ev’ry time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart, I will pray… When have you felt the Spirit lately? Last week, my heart was heavy. Renee Nicole Good and other good people had been killed. It seemed our world was filled with danger and sorrow. And just being a person of goodwill wasn’t enough to protect you. Amid these feelings, I attended an event organized by a group of African-American churches in the area. It was to honor local folks doing good work in the community. But more than that, it was an expression of unity. The pastors said one by one how important it was to work together despite their differences. Theologically, I know they run the gamut. However, they were willing to come together for the sake of their community. And through it all, there was a thread. Of gospel music. Music that raised the spirits and invited the Spirit in. Music that reminded us that, as many tri...

  M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Is. 49:1–7; S. 40:1–11; 1 Cor. 1:1–9; Jn. 1:29–42)   Envía tu espíritu y será renovada la faz de la tierra…. ¿Cuándo has sentido la presencia del Espíritu últimamente? La semana pasada, sentía una gran tristeza. Renee Nicole Good y otras personas buenas habían sido asesinadas. Parecía que nuestro mundo estaba lleno de peligro y dolor. Y ser una persona de buena voluntad no era suficiente para protegerte. En medio de estos sentimientos, asistí a un evento organizado por un grupo de iglesias afroamericanas de la zona. Era para honrar a las personas de la comunidad que desempeñan una labor admirable. Pero más allá de eso, fue una expresión de unidad. Los pastores, uno por uno, expresaron lo importante que era trabajar juntos pese a sus diferencias. Sé que, en cuanto a la teología, sus creencias son muy diversas. Sin embargo, estaban dispuestos a unirse por el bien de su comunidad. Y a lo largo de todo esto, había un hilo cond...

  M. Campbell-Langdell All Saints, Oxnard (Isaiah 42:1–9; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34–43; Matthew 3:13–17) Seven years ago, I went on a pilgrimage with Pastor Alene to the Holy Land. When we arrived at the Jordan River, we were on a tour with a Jewish guide. We had signed up as regular tourists and were wearing casual clothes for the trip. Upon arrival, he announced that since there was no Christian minister or priest on the bus, if anyone wanted to be baptized, they would have to find another group by the Jordan River and ask them to perform the baptism. Hearing this, Pastor Alene and I raised our hands and confessed that we were ordained ministers and would be willing and happy to baptize anyone who wished to do so. We hadn't asked permission, but we decided we would ask for forgiveness from the Bishop of Jerusalem when we returned to St. George's College, where we were staying next to the cathedral. It turned out that three people asked to be baptized, and when we arrived at ...