All Santos (C) + 11.3.19

M. Campbell-Langdell

All Santos, Oxnard

(Daniel 7:1–3, 15–18; Salmo 149; Efesios 1:11–23; San Lucas 6:20–31)

On Wednesday of this week, I messed up. Este miércoles, hice un gran error.

It was with good intentions, as such things often are. Fue con buenas intenciones, como estas cosas suelen ser.

There was an individual who for a couple of weeks had begun to take advantage of the church’s good nature. Not only had he begun to invite himself to every coffee hour, every service, and even the yoga class, only to participate only insomuch as he rested or consumed food, but he had also begun to invite himself into the private meetings of other groups who rent space on campus. El no solo hubiera invitado a sí mismo a participar en todos los convivios sin participar activamente en la alabanza, pero con el propósito de comer, pero el también empezaba a asistir a yoga sin participar. Luego, el trato de entrar a grupos privados que alquilan espacio de la iglesia.

We got to a place where it needed to stop. He needed to know he was still welcome in worship and at the Bread of Life meal and the food pantry, but could not treat the church as his personal spot to come and eat or rest whenever, in whatever location on the property. Él tenía que saber que el pudiera alabar con nosotros y participar en la cena de Pan de Vida y la dispensa pero que no estaba bienvenido a comer y descansar en nuestra propiedad en cualquier momento y en cualquier lugar.

So when, partway into the yoga class on Wednesday evening, the individual in question began to enter the room, I abruptly went up to him and said, no, he could not enter and participate. He needed to leave the patio and could return for worship. Así que, cuando estamos justo empezando la clase de yoga el miércoles por la noche, el individuo entro y yo repentinamente le acerque y le dije que no pudiera participar. Que tenía que salir del patio y regresar para alabanza.

In the moment, I was protecting our “sheep,” upholding the boundaries of the church. But it didn’t feel quite right. I was too quick to turn him away, and too slow to explain how he had transgressed. Fui demasiada rápida en hablar fuerte, y demasiada lenta en explicar cómo el hizo mal. Sentí que hice lo que necesitaba, pero no de la manera mejor.

It just wasn’t quite the right way to go about it. So Thursday morning, I review the scriptures for today, and I say, “Oh, snap!” Ay de mí, Dios. Dios no lo pudiera haber dicho más claramente. “Amen a sus enemigos, hagan bien a quienes los odian, bendigan a quienes los maldicen, oren por quienes los insultan.” “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” I don’t really think Jesus was advocating us taking abuse here just to take abuse, but he was showing us a more perfect way. And I missed that mark on Wednesday. No creo que Jesús quisiera que debamos recibir abuso pero creo que él nos mostró una manera más perfecta. Y yo lo perdí por un momento el día miércoles.

Because the idea is to act in love, not in anger. Porque el idea es actuar en amor, no en enojo. Because of our inheritance. Por razón de nuestra herencia. And I know that. When I came to myself, a certain scripture echoed through my head, that one about it being as hard as a camel making its way through the eye of a needle as it is for a rich person to make it into the kingdom of God. Que para los ricos es tan difícil como es meter un camello a través del agujero de una aguja.

Because sometimes, as a pastor, I forget how hard it is to be a Christian. Porque a veces como pastora es fácil olvidar lo difícil es ser un cristiano. People literally give me money to give to the poor. I contribute to the church, but most of what I share is given by others. La gente me dan dinero para dar a los en necesidad. People mostly approach me with pleasant expressions because they like the idea of a pastor, whether or not they go to church. Por lo general la gente me acerca con expresiones amigables porque les gusta la idea de una pastora, si van a la iglesia o no.

But sometimes being a Christian is just tough. Because some days you just don’t want to be the bigger person. You don’t want to give your coat. A veces no quiere uno ser la persona mejor. No quiere dar su chaqueta. Or your last snacks. But there is Jesus, in the gospel, telling you that is exactly what we need to do. Not to be pushovers or let people take advantage. No tenemos que ser permisivos o dejar que los otros tomen ventaja. But we must be kind even in our moments of firmness and boundary-setting. We must try to be generous even when part of us is saying “not one more inch!” and even when we still must keep appropriate boundaries. Tenemos que estar benignos aun cuando los demás no lo son, y aun en los momentos de expresar firmemente nuestras barreras personales. Y tenemos que estar generosos de la manera que es apropiada aun cuando queremos decir “¡ni una pulgada más!”

And why? ¿Por qué? Because of that inheritance. Because on All Saints Sunday we remember it isn’t just Jesus who is playing on our team, and counting on us. It is St. Francis, and the Virgin Mary, and any number of unnamed saints over the millennia who have shown us the faith. Este domingo de Todos los Santos recordamos que no solo es Jesús quien cuenta en nosotros y quien juega en nuestro equipo. Es San Francisco de Asís, la Virgen María, e innumerables santos quienes a través de los años nos han mostrado la fe.

And let’s not stop there. Our “balcony people” include all those who have shown us faith. For me it includes my grandmother who would hand me Hymns Ancient and Modern in church, brooking no opposition, and I learned to sing in church. Me hace pensar en mi abuela, quien me dio el himnario en la iglesia y me forzó a cantar, pero decidí que lo encante. I also think of the stubborn altar guild member at the first parish at which I served, who was irascible and smoked like a chimney, but always showed up to mid-week mass and kept the rector on his toes. Pienso en la señora del guía del altar en la primera parroquia en que serví quien fue irascible y fumaba constantemente pero quien siempre vino a la misa entre semana y mantuvo al rector al momento.

Who are those saints for you? The ordinary saints who are looking out for you from the other side?  ¿Quiénes son los santos “del balcón” para Ustedes? ¿Los quienes le ha mostrado la fe? Un abuelo o una tía, una madrina quien ya no está con nosotros… todas estas personas no necesariamente fueron perfectos, pero nos han mostrado la fe. All these people are not perfect, but they have shown us faith, and that is what saints are, in the broader vision.

So this week, empowered by my inheritance in the community of Jesus and All the Saints, I will strive to do better. Knowing that I will mess up. Sabiendo que voy a hacer errores de nuevo, sin embargo esta semana luchare de hacer mejor. Por Jesus. Y por todos los santos. Still, I will try, for Jesus, and for All the Saints.

Amen.