Fully Alive in God

  M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Genesis 29:15–28; Ps. 105:1–11, 45b; Romans 8:26–39; Matthew 13:31–33, 44–52)   The Kingdom of Heaven is like a camping pot-luck. You don’t know what you will have in the wilderness, but one person will bring lettuce, and another chicken, and another bread, and another pan dulce and before you know it, you have a feast! Perhaps donuts or hamburgers will show up too! Perhaps Adrianna will make her famous coffee with cinnamon even though she doesn’t drink coffee. Perhaps you will sing karaoke style and make the rangers come (it isn’t even that late!) But it will all come together and be a fabulous time. Or perhaps the kingdom of heaven is like moving to an entirely new place. Leaving all you know behind because you feel called to something new. Trusting that God will go with you, even if it is hard at first. Knowing God will guide your path even into avenues unknown. Or perhaps the kingdom of heaven is like a group of follow...

  M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Génesis 29:15–28; Salmo 105:1–11, 45b; Romanos 8:26–39; San Mateo 13:31–33, 44–52) El Reino de los Cielos es como una comida compartida en un viaje para acampar. No sabes lo que tendrás en el bosque, pero una persona traerá lechuga, y otro pollo, y otro pan, y otro pan dulce y antes de que te des cuenta, ¡tienes una fiesta! ¡Quizás también aparezcan donas o hamburguesas! Tal vez Adrianna haga su famoso café con canela, aunque no beba café. Tal vez cantarás al estilo karaoke y harás que vengan los guardabosques (¡ni siquiera es tan tarde!) Pero todo se unirá y será un momento fabuloso. O tal vez el reino de los cielos es como mudarse a un lugar completamente nuevo. Dejar atrás todo lo que sabes porque te sientes llamado a algo nuevo. Confiar en que Dios irá contigo, aunque al principio sea difícil. Conocer que Dios guiará tu camino aun hacia avenidas desconocidas. O tal vez el reino de los cielos es como un grupo de seguidores que...

  M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Genesis 28:10–19ª; Ps. 139:1–11, 22–23; Romans 8:12–25; Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43) “Lord, you have searched me out and known me; * you know my sitting down and my rising up; you discern my thoughts from afar.” Alene and I have been watching the show “The Chosen” by Dallas Jenkins about Jesus’ formation of his band of disciples. As with any religious related show, parts of it are not the way I would have planned them, but other parts bring new insights. But at one point the very mathematical Matthew, who does not know the scriptures, asks to learn about the scriptures. He has lived his whole life in his head and wants to learn about God in his heart via the Jewish teachings.   And the wild, wooly and philosophical Phillip, who in the show knows the scriptures well and has been traveling with John the Baptist, gives Matthew verse 7 from Psalm 139. They are a version of this: 7 If I climb up to heaven, you are there; * if I m...

  M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Genesis 28:10–19ª; S. 139:1–11, 22–23; Romanos 8:12–25; Mateo 13:24–30, 36–43) “Oh Señor, tú me has probado y conocido; * conoces mi sentarme y mi levantarme; percibes de lejos mis pensamientos.” Alene y yo hemos estado mirando un programa de televisión llamado “The Chosen” por Dallas Jenkins sobre la selección de los discípulos por Jesús. Como con cualquiera programa religiosa, hace decisiones diferentes a las que yo hiciera, pero también trae otros pensamientos nuevos. En un momento, Mateo, quien es muy interesado en las matemáticas en esta versión, quiere vivir más en su corazón que en su mente y quiere aprender de las sagradas escrituras. Así que pide de Felipe, quien es un poco menos civilizado y un poco mas loco por haber vivido con Juan el Bautista por un tiempo, pero quien conoce las escrituras, una escritura para aprender. Y Felipe le dice que debe aprender el versículo 7 del Salmo 139: “Si subiere a los cielos, allí est...

  M. Campbell-Langdell All Saints, Oxnard ( Genesis 25:19-34; Psalm 119:105-112; Romans 8:1-11; Matthew 13:1-9,18-23 ) As many of you know, this past week I spent six days at Camp Stevens in Julian, a tiny place in the mountains of San Diego County, being a chaplain to about 100 kids from the ages of 8-15 years of age and also trying to be present to staff and counselors of various ages. I got to serve alongside another chaplain who is a priest in the Diocese of San Diego and who had brought many kids to camp via a program to bring kids of refugee families to camp. One of the things about being a camp chaplain is simply being present to the needs of the moment. We have a schedule, and then there is the reality of what the kids need at any given time. So one afternoon it was not my turn to lead the patio activity during free time as the other chaplain was on, but I happened to be around and I was asked to take a couple of kids to the tree house, which is basically a climbing...

  M. Campbell-Langdell Todos los Santos, Oxnard ( Genesis 25:19-34; Salmo 119:105-112; Romanos 8:1-11; San Mateo 13:1-9,18-23 ) Como muchos de ustedes saben, la semana pasada pasé seis días en Camp Stevens en Julian, un pequeño lugar en las montañas del condado de San Diego, donde fui capellana de unos 100 niños de 8 a 15 años y también intenté estar presente para el personal y los consejeros de varias edades. Pude servir junto a otro capellán que es sacerdote en la Diócesis de San Diego y que había llevado a muchos niños al campamento a través de un programa para traer niños de familias de refugiados al campamento. Una de las cosas de ser capellana de un campamento es simplemente estar presente para las necesidades del momento. Tenemos un horario, y luego existe la realidad de lo que necesitan los niños en el momento. Así que una tarde no era mi turno de dirigir la actividad del patio durante el tiempo libre ya que el otro capellán estaba, pero estaba por allí y me pidiero...

  M. Campbell-Langdell All Saints, Oxnard (Genesis 24:34–38, 42–49, 58–67; Ps. 45:11–18; Romans 7:15–25ª; Matthew 11:16–19, 25–30) Sometimes leaving home means coming home to a new version of yourself. Love is often a finding and a losing at once. An arrival and a leaving, all at once. This week I read the quote by Henri Nouwen: “There are many other voices, voices that are loud, full of promises and very seductive. They deny loudly that love is a totally free gift. I leave home every time I lose faith in the voice that calls me the Beloved and follow the voices that offer a great variety of ways to win the love I so much desire.” [1] There is so much truth here. The place where we are most at home is resting in God’s abiding love for us. Everywhere else we are in a state of exile. And yet, today we read in the passage from Genesis 24 a story of leaving home, at least for Rebekah. As is echoed in the Psalm, which says “Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely; * ...