Fully Alive in God

www.bbc.co.uk (Your Paintings: Lives of the Hermits) M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Lev. 19:1–2, 9–18; Ps. 119:33–40; 1 Cor. 3:10–11, 16–23; Mat. 5:38–48) O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing… Let me tell you a mystery. “… Abba Macarius while he was in Egypt discovered a man who owned a beast of burden engaged in plundering Macarius' goods. So he came up to the thief as if he was a stranger and he helped him to load the animal. He saw him off in great peace of soul saying, 'We have brought nothing into this world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.'(1Tim.6:7) 'The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.'(Job 1:21)” [1] You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. For those of you familiar with JRR Tolkien’s Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy, you may have been struck by the many acts of Christian charity subtly portrayed in the stories. One exa

www.bbc.co.uk (Your Paintings: Lives of the Hermits) M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Lev. 19:1–2, 9–18; S. 119:33–40; 1 Cor. 3:10–11, 16–23; Mat. 5:38–48) Oh Señor, tú nos has enseñado que todo lo que hacemos sin amor es de ningún valor… Let me tell you a mystery . Una historia muy antigua de los padres del desierto. Va así: “Abba Macarius cuando estaba en Egipto encontró a un señor quien tenía un animal de trabajo, tratando de robar sus posesiones. Así que el vino al hombre como su fuera un extranjero y le ayud ó a poner las cosas en el animal. Él lo mand ó con una gran paz en su alma, diciendo: ‘Porque nada trajimos a este mundo, y nada podremos llevarnos (1 Tim 6:7).’ ‘El Señor me lo dio todo, y el Señor me lo quitó; ¡bendito sea el nombre del Señor! (Job 1:21).’” “… Abba Macarius while he was in Egypt discovered a man who owned a beast of burden engaged in plundering Macarius' goods. So he came up to the thief as if he was a stranger and he helped hi

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 in time

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 llena de promesa en Marzo del 1930, en la cuidad de Dandi en India, Mohandas K. Gandhi y un grupo de sus seguidores empezaron lo que llamaría la Marcha de la Sal, una caminata de 24 días y 240 millas, caminando sur por la costa de 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 pero para mejorar las vidas de todos. Esta marcha atraía mucha atención en todo el mundo no solo al movimiento para la independencia de India pero

From: lutheran-in-sc.blogspot.com M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard Presentation (A), 2.2.14 (Mal. 3:1-4; Ps. 84; Heb. 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40)  “For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness (Malachi 3:2b-3).” The readings for today, the Feast of the Presentation in the Temple, are all about purification as we present ourselves for God’s service. We hear about purification in Malachi, an important theme in the elevation of the importance of the temple as he sees it. [1] In the Presentation text in Luke, we see Mary dutifully undergoing the traditional Jewish process of purification that a woman undergoes forty days after giving birth.  In the days right before she is purified in the temple, she is considered unclean and unable to touch others. [2]   Jesus was p

de: lutheran-in-sc.blogspot.com M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Mal. 3:1-4; S. 84; Heb. 2:14-18; Lucas 2:22-40) “Pues llegar á como un fuego, para purificarnos; ser á como un jabón que quitar á nuestras manchas. El Señor se sentar á a purificar a los sacerdotes, los descendientes de Levi, como quien purifica la plata y el oro en el fuego (Malaquías 3:2b-3 DHH).” Las lecturas de hoy, la fiesta de la presentación en el templo, tratan de purificación mientras nos presentamos para el servicio del Señor. Purification of ourselves as we present ourselves for God’s service is a key theme in today’s scriptures for the feast of the Presentation. Escuchamos de purificación en la lectura de Malaquías, en que escuchamos sobre la importancia del templo a la gente judía. [1] En la historia de la Presentación que escuchamos de San Lucas, vemos a la Virgen María experimentando el anciano proceso de purificación que vive una mujer cuarenta días después de dar a luz. En los