Por Magdalena I. García
Sermón predicado en el Encuentro Regional de Mujeres Hispanas Latinas Presbiterianas en el Sínodo del Sur de California y Hawaii, el 16 de julio de 2011, en la Universidad Chapman, en Orange, California.
Lecturas de las Escrituras
Salmo 133 - Dios Habla Hoy (DHH)
1 ¡Vean qué bueno y agradable es que los hermanos vivan unidos!
2 Es como el buen perfume que corre por la cabeza de los sacerdotes
y baja por su barba hasta el cuello de su ropaje.
3 Es como el rocío del monte Hermón, que cae sobre los montes de Sión.
Allí es donde el Señor envía la bendición de una larga vida.
1 Corintios 12:12-31 - Dios Habla Hoy (DHH)
12 El cuerpo humano, aunque está formado por muchos miembros, es un solo cuerpo. Así también Cristo. 13 Y de la misma manera, todos nosotros, judíos o no judíos, esclavos o libres, fuimos bautizados para formar un solo cuerpo por medio de un solo Espíritu; y a todos se nos dio a beber de ese mismo Espíritu.
14 Un cuerpo no se compone de un solo miembro, sino de muchos. 15 Si el pie dijera: "Como no soy mano, no soy del cuerpo", no por eso dejaría de ser del cuerpo. 16 Y si la oreja dijera: "Como no soy ojo, no soy del cuerpo", no por eso dejaría de ser del cuerpo. 17 Si todo el cuerpo fuera ojo, no podríamos oir. Y si todo el cuerpo fuera oído, no podríamos oler. 18 Pero Dios ha puesto cada miembro del cuerpo en el sitio que mejor le pareció. 19 Si todo fuera un solo miembro, no habría cuerpo. 20 Lo cierto es que, aunque son muchos los miembros, el cuerpo solo es uno.
21 El ojo no puede decirle a la mano: "No te necesito"; ni la cabeza puede decirles a los pies: "No los necesito." 22 Al contrario, los miembros del cuerpo que parecen más débiles, son los que más se necesitan; 23 y los miembros del cuerpo que menos estimamos, son los que vestimos con más cuidado. Y los miembros que consideramos menos presentables, son los que tratamos con más modestia, 24 lo cual no es necesario hacer con los miembros más presentables. Dios arregló el cuerpo de tal manera que los miembros menos estimados reciban más honor, 25 para que no haya desunión en el cuerpo, sino que cada miembro del cuerpo se preocupe por los otros. 26 Si un miembro del cuerpo sufre, todos los demás sufren también; y si un miembro recibe atención especial, todos los demás comparten su alegría.
27 Pues bien, ustedes son el cuerpo de Cristo, y cada uno de ustedes es un miembro con su función particular. 28 Dios ha querido que en la iglesia haya, en primer lugar, apóstoles; en segundo lugar, profetas; en tercer lugar, maestros; luego personas que hacen milagros, y otras que curan enfermos, o que ayudan, o que dirigen, o que hablan en lenguas. 29 No todos son apóstoles, ni todos son profetas. No todos son maestros, ni todos hacen milagros, 30 ni todos tienen poder para curar enfermos. Tampoco todos hablan en lenguas, ni todos saben interpretarlas. 31 Ustedes deben ambicionar los mejores dones.
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INTRODUCCIÓN: IMÁGENES DE LA IGLESIA
Si yo le pido que describa su Iglesia, ¿qué diría usted?
Yo diría, por ejemplo…
“Es un edificio de piedra blanca, con una torre sin campanario,
con santuario y dos capilla, con cocina y comedor,
con gimnasio y sala de estar, con muchos salones de clase,
con un órgano muy fino y pianos por todas partes…”
“Somos el templo con la huerta orgánica,
donde colaboran miembros y vecino…”
“Somos la iglesia a la que acuden inmigrantes con atuendo típico
cargando cuadernos y libros de inglés como segundo idioma…”
“Somos creyentes de distintas razas, nacionalidades e idiomas,
que nos reunimos para orar, adorar, aprender y compartir…”
“Somos una comunidad de gente alegre y conversadora,
generosa y servicial, con virtudes y defectos como cualquier familia…”
En el Nuevo Testamento, la Iglesia se describe de diversas formas.
Los eruditos bíblicos han hallado en las páginas de la Biblia
hasta 96 metáforas o imágenes para describir la Iglesia.
Algunas de las más familiares son...
la familia o la casa de Dios,
el pueblo de Dios,
la novia de Cristo,
la comunión del Espíritu Santo,
la vid y los pámpanos,
el pastor y las ovejas…
Pero la imagen que predomina en el Nuevo Testamento
es la de la iglesia como el cuerpo de Cristo.
Y en el pasaje de 1ra de Corintios que leímos hoy
Pablo resalta tres aspectos del cuerpo de Cristo:
1)la unidad,
2)la diversidad, y
3)la interdependencia.
Consideremos brevemente estos tres aspectos del cuerpo de Cristo.
LA UNIDAD DEL CUERPO DE CRISTO
Lo primero que Pablo nos dice acerca del cuerpo de Cristo
tiene que ver con la unidad del mismo.
“Porque así como el cuerpo es uno, y tiene muchos miembros,
pero todos los miembros del cuerpo, siendo muchos,
son un solo cuerpo, así también Cristo.
Porque por un solo Espíritu fuimos todos bautizados en un cuerpo,
sean judíos o griegos, sean esclavos o libres;
y a todos se nos dio a beber de un mismo Espíritu”.
(1 Cor. 12:12-13)
Pablo comienza explicándonos que la Iglesia es un cuerpo.
La Iglesia es un colectivo, una entidad y un organismo
a pesar de todas las diferencias reales o aparentes,
sean éstas raciales, religiosas, sociales o culturales.
Y Pablo enfatiza que el cuerpo humano,
a pesar de que tiene diferentes partes individuales,
consta de una unidad esencial.
Pablo explica, además, cuál es la base de nuestra unidad.
Hemos sido unidos por el Espíritu de Dios
en un solo cuerpo espiritual.
Nuestra unidad no se debe a nuestro esfuerzo ni a nuestros méritos.
Estamos unidas y unidos en el Cuerpo de Cristo
con un lazo inquebrantable
por la voluntad y el poder de Dios.
La imagen del cuerpo nos ayuda a entender perfectamente
la diferencia entre unidad y uniformidad.
La meta no es la uniformidad, sino la unidad.
“Somos uno en Cristo”, como dice el corito,
a pesar de nuestras diferencias y de nuestra voluntad,
porque Dios en Cristo nos unifica.
LA DIVERSIDAD DEL CUERPO DE CRISTO
Pablo continúa su descripción de la Iglesia,
diciéndonos que aunque el cuerpo es uno
no por eso consiste de un solo miembro.
Por el contrario, el cuerpo tiene muchos miembros
y todos son distintos.
Sin embargo, todas las partes son necesarias,
incluso las más pequeñas.
Considere lo difícil que resulta valerse
sin el sentido de la vista o con un solo pie.
Piensen en personas que han perdido el uso de estos órganos
aunque sea temporalmente.
Y lo mismo sucede con el Cuerpo de Cristo.
La Iglesia NO marcha bien si todas esas distintas partes
no cumplen con su función.
El Cuerpo de Cristo, al igual que el cuerpo humano,
es un magnífico ejemplo de unidad
en medio de la diversidad.
Para realizar la obra que Dios nos ha encomendado
hacen falta todos los miembros del cuerpo de Cristo
No podemos prescindir de nadie;
ni debemos anhelar que nadie se vaya.
No se vale orar diciendo, “Padre, ilumínalos o elimínalos”.
Esa manera de pensar es un rechazo
a la diversidad que Dios creó.
Esa actitud intolerante genera prejuicios
que lastiman y dividen al cuerpo de Cristo.
Estamos llamadas a celebrar nuestra unidad
en medio de la diversidad.
Desde luego que no somos iguales ni pensamos igual,
no tenemos los mismos dones ni las mismas experiencias,
pero eso no importa.
Como dice otro cántico que entonamos con frecuencia,
“hay un lugar para todos en la familia de Dios...”
Ése es uno de los rasgos distintivos de la Iglesia de Jesucristo
y en lugar de restringirlo o suprimirlo
debemos recordarlo y celebrarlo.
LA INTERDEPENDENCIA DEL CUERPO DE CRISTO
Finalmente, Pablo extiende su comparación del cuerpo de Cristo
con la imagen del cuerpo humano
enfatizando el principio de la interdependencia mutua.
Del mismo modo que los órganos del cuerpo humano
se necesitan unos a otros,
así también los miembros de la Iglesia, el cuerpo de Cristo,
con sus variados dones y llamados
se necesitan mutuamente.
En los versículos 21 al 23, Pablo dice:
“Ni el ojo puede decir a la mano: No te necesito, ni tampoco la cabeza a los pies: No tengo necesidad de vosotros. Antes bien los miembros del cuerpo que parecen más débiles, son los más necesarios; y a aquellos del cuerpo que nos parecen menos dignos, a éstos vestimos más dignamente; y los que en nosotros son menos decorosos, se tratan con más decoro”.
El punto que Pablo quiere ilustrar es la naturaleza
interdependendiente del cuerpo de Cristo.
Aunque las partes sean diferentes
y desempeñen funciones diferentes,
están diseñadas para complementarse,
para trabajar juntas y en armonía.
Y nuestra efectividad, nuestra salud y nuestra vitalidad como iglesia
dependen de que todas las distintas partes del cuerpo
se acoplen y funcionen como una unidad.
Así como el nuevo Equipo Coordinador tiene varios miembros,
pero ninguna de ellas por sí sola es el Equipo,
así mismo sucede con la Iglesia, el cuerpo de Cristo:
somos interdependientes
y por sí solas no somos la iglesia.
CONCLUSIÓN: RETOS CONTEMPORÁNEOS
En la Iglesia de Corinto había divisiones
porque algunos habían llegado a creer
que unos dones eran más importantes que otros,
y, por ende, valoraban más a unos miembros que a otros.
Por eso Pablo al escribirles insiste
en la unidad, la diversidad y la interdependencia
del Cuerpo de Cristo.
Si Pablo le estuviese escribiendo a nuestra iglesia,
o a nuestra denominación, ¿qué vería?
¿una iglesia unida o una iglesia dividida?
Siempre sobran motivos para separarnos
y este año no ha sido la excepción.
La Asamblea General de nuestra denominación
el verano pasado tomó tres acciones históricas
que fueron remitidas a los presbiterios para ratificación.
Y desde el otoño pasado, presbiterios de todo el país y Puerto Rico
emitieron sus votos sobre esas tres enmiendas:
1) La Enmienda 10-A: una acción que exige sometimiento al señorío de Cristo como condición única y suficiente para la ordenación (de diáconos y diaconisas, ancianos y ancianas, y ministros y ministras) y elimina la cláusula sobre “castidad en la soltería y fidelidad en el matrimonio entre un hombre y una mujer” que se aplicaba desde hace décadas exclusiva e injustamente contra los miembros homosexuales.
2) La Nueva Forma de Gobierno: una acción que agiliza muchos de nuestros procesos y da mayor libertad a los presbiterios para actuar y ejercer sus ministerios.
3) La Confesión de Belhar: una acción que intentaba añadir al Libro de Confesiones una confesión de fe que fue redactada en Sud África en respuesta al racismo y el apartheid.
La Enmienda 10-A fue aprobada y también la Nueva Forma de Gobierno.
Ambas medidas ya entraron en vigor.
Sin embargo, la Confesión de Belhar
no obtuvo los votos requeridos
(dos tercios en vez de mayoría simple)
para sumarse al Libro de Confesiones.
De más está decirles que la consideración de estos temas
ha generado mucha polémica y ha creado divisiones en la iglesia.
Y, desde luego, también ha creado tensiones
dentro de los ministerios hispanos.
A mí me alegra mucho que se haya aprobado
la Enmienda 10-A,
que hace justicia a todos los miembros
que desean y merecen ser ordenados/as.
Y me alegra mucho que se haya aprobado
la Nueva Forma de Gobierno,
que permitirá a los presbiterios
funcionar con más autonomía y agilidad.
Y me entristece mucho que no se haya aprobado
la Confesión de Belhar,
que hubiese reafirmado nuestra lucha contra el racismo
y realzado la dignidad de la gente de color.
Sin embargo, no estoy aquí para hacer alardes de mi postura
ni para convencerles de nada.
Pero sí estoy aquí para decirles que quizás el gran regalo
que nosotros como pueblo hispano/latino
podemos dar a esta denominación tan fragmentada
sea nuestra unidad en medio de la diversidad,
y nuestra interdependencia en medio de la divergencia.
Nosotros, el pueblo hispano/latino,
que somos producto de las fusiones y del mestizaje,
somos testigos de que el cuerpo
sobrevive, se regenera y se fortalece
sólo en la medida en que honra
su unidad, su diversidad y su interdependencia.
¡Qué Dios nos ayude
a preservar la unidad del Cuerpo de Cristo!
¡Qué Cristo nos enseñe
a respetar la diversidad del Cuerpo de Cristo!
¡Qué el Espíritu nos guíe
para fortalecer la interdependencia del Cuerpo de Cristo!
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Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Acercamiento al Discipulado en Medio de la Cultura
Por Magdalena I. García
Presentación para el Encuentro Regional de las Mujeres Hispanas Latinas Presbiterianas en el Sínodo del Sur de California y Hawaii, el 16 de julio de 2011, en la Universidad Chapman, en Orange, California.
Propósito delineado por el Equipo Planificador: La iglesia necesita desarrollar estrategias que nos ayuden en la formación de un discipulado coherente con los avances de una cultura globalizada, avanzada y en crecimiento acelerado, sin perder los valores del Reino de Dios. Analizaremos nuestras fortalezas y debilidades a fin de crear recomendaciones que nos permitan avanzar en este proceso.
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Hay un cántico que popularizó el grupo Maranatha en los años 70
Y que ahora está incluido en El Himnario Presbiteriano.
Se llama “Busca primero”. ¿Lo cantan conmigo?
“Busca primero el Reino de Dios su perfecta justicia,
que lo demás lo añadirá el Señor, Alelu, Alelu-ya.
“Sólo de pan, dice Dios, no vivirás, sino de toda palabra,
que para ti el Señor proclamará. Alelu, Alelu-ya”.
Son palabras tomadas de la conclusión del Sermón del Monte,
que está registrado en Mateo 6.
Después de un largo discurso sobre temas variados, entre ellos:
lo que realmente cuenta para Dios (las Bienaventuranzas),
la sal y luz del mundo,
la ley y la justicia superior,
el enojo y el adulterio,
los juramentos, la venganza y los enemigos,
la práctica de la piedad,
la oración y el ayuno,
las riquezas,
la lámpara del cuerpo,
el afán y la ansiedad,
Jesús concluye diciendo:
“Por lo tanto, pongan toda su atención en el reino de los cielos
y en hacer lo que es justo ante Dios,
y recibirán también todas estas cosas”. Mateo 6:33
+ ¿Qué es el Reino de Dios?
Por siglos antes del nacimiento de Jesús en Belén,
el pueblo judío había anhelado la venida del Reino de Dios.
El pueblo judío creía que ese reino sería un lugar y una época
de completo bienestar porque todo estaría bajo el dominio de Dios.
Los profetas del pueblo hebreo anunciaban la venida de ese reino
como un mundo de paz y plenitud, un mundo de shalom.
usando lenguaje poético.
Miqueas 4
3 El Señor juzgará entre las naciones
y decidirá los pleitos de pueblos numerosos,
aun de los más lejanos.
Ellos convertirán sus espadas en arados y sus lanzas en hoces.
Ningún pueblo volverá a tomar las armas contra otro
ni a recibir instrucción para la guerra.
4 Todos vivirán entonces sin temor,
y cada cual podrá descansar a la sombra de su vid y de su higuera.
Isaías 11
6 Entonces el lobo y el cordero vivirán en paz,
el tigre y el cabrito descansarán juntos,
el becerro y el león crecerán uno al lado del otro,
y se dejarán guiar por un niño pequeño.
7 La vaca y la osa serán amigas, y sus crías descansarán juntas.
El león comerá pasto, como el buey.
8 El niño podrá jugar en el hoyo de la cobra,
podrá meter la mano en el nido de la víbora.
9 En todo mi monte santo no habrá quien haga ningún daño,
porque así como el agua llena el mar,
así el conocimiento del Señor llenará todo el país.
Cuando Jesús comenzó a predicar,
continuó con esta tradición profética.
El anuncio del Reino de Dios (o el Reino de los Cielos).
fue el corazón de la enseñanza de Jesús.
+ Jesús habló sobre las cualidades del Reino
Por ejemplo, las de Mateo 13 (Dios Habla Hoy).
La parábola de la semilla de mostaza
31 Jesús también les contó esta parábola: “El reino de los cielos es como una semilla de mostaza que un hombre siembra en su campo. 32 Es, por cierto, la más pequeña de todas las semillas; pero cuando crece, se hace más grande que las otras plantas del huerto, y llega a ser como un árbol, tan grande que las aves van y se posan en sus ramas”.
La parábola de la levadura
33 También les contó esta parábola: “El reino de los cielos es como la levadura que una mujer mezcla con tres medidas de harina para hacer fermentar toda la masa”.
La parábola del tesoro escondido
44 “El reino de los cielos es como un tesoro escondido en un terreno. Un hombre encuentra el tesoro, y lo vuelve a esconder allí mismo; lleno de alegría, va y vende todo lo que tiene, y compra ese terreno.
La parábola de la perla de mucho valor
45 “Sucede también con el reino de los cielos como con un comerciante que andaba buscando perlas finas; 46 cuando encontró una de mucho valor, fue y vendió todo lo que tenía, y compró esa perla.
La parábola de la red
47 “Sucede también con el reino de los cielos como con la red que se echa al mar y recoge toda clase de pescado. 48 Cuando la red se llena, los pescadores la sacan a la playa, donde se sientan a escoger el pescado; guardan el bueno en canastas y tiran el malo. 49 Así también sucederá al fin del mundo: saldrán los ángeles para separar a los malos de los buenos, 50 y echarán a los malos en el horno de fuego. Entonces vendrán el llanto y la desesperación”.
Estas parábolas nos describen las cualidades del Reino de Dios que:
-tiene un comienzo pequeño (la semilla y la levadura), pero es poderoso;
-tiene un precio alto (el tesoro y la perla), pero es acequible;
-tiene un gran alcance (la red), pero es selectivo.
+ Jesús habló sobre la presencia del Reino
A veces Jesús habló del Reino sin usar parábolas,
y enseñó que el Reino está “aquí y entre nosotros”.
En una ocasión, según Marcos 12:
un maestro de la ley y Jesús
conversaron sobre cuál era el principal mandamiento.
El maestro contestó correctamente
que toda la ley se resume en dos mandamientos:
“amar a Dios y amar al prójimo”,
Jesús entonces le dijo al maestro: “No estás lejos del Reino de Dios”,
dando a entender que el Reino está a nuestro alcance.
En otra ocasión, según Lucas 17:
20 Los fariseos le preguntaron a Jesús
cuándo había de llegar el reino de Dios, y él les contestó:
“La venida del reino de Dios no es algo que todo el mundo pueda ver.
21 No se va a decir: ‘Aquí está’, o ‘Allí está’;
porque el reino de Dios ya está entre ustedes”.
De modo que el Reino de Dios está entre nosotros y en el mundo.
Se manifiesta en este preciso momento
entre quienes hacen la voluntad de Dios.
Tenemos, por tanto, destellos del Reino de Dios
en nuestro medio.
Y la Iglesia de Jesucristo no es el Reino de Dios,
pero está llamada a ser anuncio y testigo del Reino.
+ Jesús habló sobre el anhelo del Reino
Aunque el Reino de Dios se asome ocasionalmente
a nuestra realidad cotidiana,
esto no elimina el anhelo por el día en que ese Reino
cubrirá toda la tierra.
Cuando Jesús enseñó a sus discípulos a orar, les dijo:
9 Vosotros, pues, oraréis así:
Padre nuestro que estás en los cielos, santificado sea tu nombre.
10 Venga tu reino. Hágase tu voluntad, como en el cielo,
así también en la tierra.
11 El pan nuestro de cada día, dánoslo hoy.
12 Y perdónanos nuestras deudas,
como también nosotros perdonamos a nuestros deudores.
13 Y no nos metas en tentación, mas líbranos del mal;
porque tuyo es el reino, y el poder, y la gloria,
por todos los siglos. Amén.
(Mateo 6:9-13, Reina Valera)
+ Orar el Padre Nuestro: un lamento y una protesta
Decir “Venga tu reino” es un grito de lamento;
es el anhelo salido del alma
de quienes sufren a causa de la opresión
de la ideología y los sistemas de este mundo.
Pero decir “Venga tu reino” es también un grito de protesta;
es el rechazo nacido de la inconformidad
de quienes sufren a causa de la opresión
de la ideología y los sistemas de este mundo.
+ Acercamiento al Discipulado en Medio de la Cultura
De modo que el acercamiento al discipulado
en medio de la cultura que nos rodea
no es un reto nuevo para el Evangelio.
Cada cultura tiene sus propios valores,
algunos buenos y otros malos.
¿Cómo decidimos cuáles son buenos y cuáles malos?
La regla para medirlos es el Reino de Dios,
donde según la Biblia (Escrituras Hebreas y Cristianas)
la ley suprema es el amor a Dios y al prójimo.
En la medida en que los valores culturales
reflejen y impulsen los valores del Reino de Dios
son buenos y debemos secundarlos.
Pero en la medida en que los valores culturales—incluidos los religiosos—
opaquen y contradigan los valores del Reino de Dios
son malos y debemos rechazarlos.
Por ejemplo...
+ La Globalización
o Si nos acerca, es buena; si nos distancia, es mala.
o Si promueve la comprensión y el apoyo mutuo, es buena; si persiste en la incomprensión y la explotación ajena, es mala.
+ Los Avances
o Si los ponemos al servicio de todos, son buenos; si los convertimos en privilegio de unos pocos, son malos.
o Si nos ayudan a respetar la vida, son buenos; si nos conducen a la explotación del planeta y los seres humanos, son malos.
+ El Crecimiento
o Si es producto del esfuerzo honesto, es bueno; si es el saldo de la ambición desmedida, es malo.
o Si se comparten los bienes, es bueno; si se enriquecen sólo unos pocos es malo.
Todo depende...
Hay dos herramientas prácticas que pueden ayudarnos a discerner
si estamos honrando los valores del Reino de Dios.
+ Los Siete Pecados Capitales
Los siete pecados capitales son una clasificación
de los vicios mencionados en las primeras enseñanzas del cristianismo
para educar a sus seguidores acerca de la moral cristiana.
He aquí la lista de los Siete Pecados Capitales:
1. La lujuria
2. La pereza
3. La gula
4. La ira
5. La envidia
6. La avaricia
7. La soberbia
Es una lista impresionante de valores contrarios al Reino de Dios.
Y tienen, desde luego, sus virtudes correspondientes:
1. La lujuria es lo contrario de la castidad
2. La pereza es lo contrario de la diligencia
3. La gula es lo contrario de la templanza
4. La ira es lo contrario de la paciencia
5. La envidia es lo contrario de la caridad
6. La avaricia es lo contrario de la generosidad
7. La soberbia es lo contrario de la humildad
Los siete pecados capitales nos pueden ayudar
a discernir si estamos honrando los valores del Reino de Dios,
sobre todo en el plano personal.
Pero hay una segunda herramienta que puede ayudarnos a evaluar
si estamos honrando los valores del Reino de Dios
en el plano comunitario y mundial.
+ Los Siete Errores Garrafales del Mundo
Los Siete Errores Garrafales del Mundo
son una lista que Mahatma Gandhi le dio a su nieto Arun Gandhi,
escritos en un papelito, el ultimo día en que se vieron,
poco antes del asesinato del maestro.
He aquí los Siete Errores Garrafales del Mundo:
1. La riqueza sin trabajo
2. El placer sin conciencia
3. El conocimiento sin carácter
4. El comercio sin moralidad
5. La ciencia sin humanidad
6. La adoración sin sacrificio
7. La política sin principios
Esta lista de errores garrafales,
opuestos todos, por supuesto, a los valores del Reino de Dios,
nos puede ayudar a reflexionar
sobre el comportamiento colectivo o sistémico.
Necesitamos que el discipulado del Siglo 21
esté menos apegado a los valores culturales,
incluso los religiosos,
y más apegado a los valores del Reino de Dios.
Hay un precioso himno contemporáneo,
que también se encuentra en El Himnario Presbiteriano,
y cuya letra nos ayuda a recordar qué es el Reino de Dios,
y dónde se halla el Reino de Dios.
Se titula “La mano de Dios”. ¿Lo conocen?
Escuchen la letra...
“La Mano de Dios”
El Himnario Presbiteriano 381
1
"La mano de Dios
en nuestro mundo está
actuando con gracia y con poder
la Iglesia debe ver
el gran acontecer
de la poderosa mano de Dios.
2
"La mano de Dios
en nuestro mundo está
derribando estructuras de opresión.
He aquí la destrucción
de toda explotación
por la poderosa mano de Dios.
3
"La mano de Dios
en nuestro mundo está
creando una nueva sociedad
con paz, con hermandad,
justicia y libertad
por la poderosa mano de Dios.
4
"La mano de Dios
en nuestro mundo está
demostrando su modo de vivir,
servir, también sufrir;
y aun hasta morir
sostenidos por la mano de Dios.
5
"La mano de Dios
en nuestro mundo está
forjando una nueva humanidad,
tenemos que luchar
y juntos trabajar
con la poderosa mano de Dios.
6
"La mano de Dios
en nuestro mundo está
obrando con juicio y con amor;
la Iglesia sin temor
se une con valor
a estas obras de la mano de Dios".
Qué el mismo Espíritu que inspiró
a profetas y a Jesús
nos guíe y nos impulse
para unirnos a la mano de Dios
en nuestro mundo
y colaborar con la extensión
de su Reino de justicia y paz
para toda la humanidad.
%%%
Presentación para el Encuentro Regional de las Mujeres Hispanas Latinas Presbiterianas en el Sínodo del Sur de California y Hawaii, el 16 de julio de 2011, en la Universidad Chapman, en Orange, California.
Propósito delineado por el Equipo Planificador: La iglesia necesita desarrollar estrategias que nos ayuden en la formación de un discipulado coherente con los avances de una cultura globalizada, avanzada y en crecimiento acelerado, sin perder los valores del Reino de Dios. Analizaremos nuestras fortalezas y debilidades a fin de crear recomendaciones que nos permitan avanzar en este proceso.
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Hay un cántico que popularizó el grupo Maranatha en los años 70
Y que ahora está incluido en El Himnario Presbiteriano.
Se llama “Busca primero”. ¿Lo cantan conmigo?
“Busca primero el Reino de Dios su perfecta justicia,
que lo demás lo añadirá el Señor, Alelu, Alelu-ya.
“Sólo de pan, dice Dios, no vivirás, sino de toda palabra,
que para ti el Señor proclamará. Alelu, Alelu-ya”.
Son palabras tomadas de la conclusión del Sermón del Monte,
que está registrado en Mateo 6.
Después de un largo discurso sobre temas variados, entre ellos:
lo que realmente cuenta para Dios (las Bienaventuranzas),
la sal y luz del mundo,
la ley y la justicia superior,
el enojo y el adulterio,
los juramentos, la venganza y los enemigos,
la práctica de la piedad,
la oración y el ayuno,
las riquezas,
la lámpara del cuerpo,
el afán y la ansiedad,
Jesús concluye diciendo:
“Por lo tanto, pongan toda su atención en el reino de los cielos
y en hacer lo que es justo ante Dios,
y recibirán también todas estas cosas”. Mateo 6:33
+ ¿Qué es el Reino de Dios?
Por siglos antes del nacimiento de Jesús en Belén,
el pueblo judío había anhelado la venida del Reino de Dios.
El pueblo judío creía que ese reino sería un lugar y una época
de completo bienestar porque todo estaría bajo el dominio de Dios.
Los profetas del pueblo hebreo anunciaban la venida de ese reino
como un mundo de paz y plenitud, un mundo de shalom.
usando lenguaje poético.
Miqueas 4
3 El Señor juzgará entre las naciones
y decidirá los pleitos de pueblos numerosos,
aun de los más lejanos.
Ellos convertirán sus espadas en arados y sus lanzas en hoces.
Ningún pueblo volverá a tomar las armas contra otro
ni a recibir instrucción para la guerra.
4 Todos vivirán entonces sin temor,
y cada cual podrá descansar a la sombra de su vid y de su higuera.
Isaías 11
6 Entonces el lobo y el cordero vivirán en paz,
el tigre y el cabrito descansarán juntos,
el becerro y el león crecerán uno al lado del otro,
y se dejarán guiar por un niño pequeño.
7 La vaca y la osa serán amigas, y sus crías descansarán juntas.
El león comerá pasto, como el buey.
8 El niño podrá jugar en el hoyo de la cobra,
podrá meter la mano en el nido de la víbora.
9 En todo mi monte santo no habrá quien haga ningún daño,
porque así como el agua llena el mar,
así el conocimiento del Señor llenará todo el país.
Cuando Jesús comenzó a predicar,
continuó con esta tradición profética.
El anuncio del Reino de Dios (o el Reino de los Cielos).
fue el corazón de la enseñanza de Jesús.
+ Jesús habló sobre las cualidades del Reino
Por ejemplo, las de Mateo 13 (Dios Habla Hoy).
La parábola de la semilla de mostaza
31 Jesús también les contó esta parábola: “El reino de los cielos es como una semilla de mostaza que un hombre siembra en su campo. 32 Es, por cierto, la más pequeña de todas las semillas; pero cuando crece, se hace más grande que las otras plantas del huerto, y llega a ser como un árbol, tan grande que las aves van y se posan en sus ramas”.
La parábola de la levadura
33 También les contó esta parábola: “El reino de los cielos es como la levadura que una mujer mezcla con tres medidas de harina para hacer fermentar toda la masa”.
La parábola del tesoro escondido
44 “El reino de los cielos es como un tesoro escondido en un terreno. Un hombre encuentra el tesoro, y lo vuelve a esconder allí mismo; lleno de alegría, va y vende todo lo que tiene, y compra ese terreno.
La parábola de la perla de mucho valor
45 “Sucede también con el reino de los cielos como con un comerciante que andaba buscando perlas finas; 46 cuando encontró una de mucho valor, fue y vendió todo lo que tenía, y compró esa perla.
La parábola de la red
47 “Sucede también con el reino de los cielos como con la red que se echa al mar y recoge toda clase de pescado. 48 Cuando la red se llena, los pescadores la sacan a la playa, donde se sientan a escoger el pescado; guardan el bueno en canastas y tiran el malo. 49 Así también sucederá al fin del mundo: saldrán los ángeles para separar a los malos de los buenos, 50 y echarán a los malos en el horno de fuego. Entonces vendrán el llanto y la desesperación”.
Estas parábolas nos describen las cualidades del Reino de Dios que:
-tiene un comienzo pequeño (la semilla y la levadura), pero es poderoso;
-tiene un precio alto (el tesoro y la perla), pero es acequible;
-tiene un gran alcance (la red), pero es selectivo.
+ Jesús habló sobre la presencia del Reino
A veces Jesús habló del Reino sin usar parábolas,
y enseñó que el Reino está “aquí y entre nosotros”.
En una ocasión, según Marcos 12:
un maestro de la ley y Jesús
conversaron sobre cuál era el principal mandamiento.
El maestro contestó correctamente
que toda la ley se resume en dos mandamientos:
“amar a Dios y amar al prójimo”,
Jesús entonces le dijo al maestro: “No estás lejos del Reino de Dios”,
dando a entender que el Reino está a nuestro alcance.
En otra ocasión, según Lucas 17:
20 Los fariseos le preguntaron a Jesús
cuándo había de llegar el reino de Dios, y él les contestó:
“La venida del reino de Dios no es algo que todo el mundo pueda ver.
21 No se va a decir: ‘Aquí está’, o ‘Allí está’;
porque el reino de Dios ya está entre ustedes”.
De modo que el Reino de Dios está entre nosotros y en el mundo.
Se manifiesta en este preciso momento
entre quienes hacen la voluntad de Dios.
Tenemos, por tanto, destellos del Reino de Dios
en nuestro medio.
Y la Iglesia de Jesucristo no es el Reino de Dios,
pero está llamada a ser anuncio y testigo del Reino.
+ Jesús habló sobre el anhelo del Reino
Aunque el Reino de Dios se asome ocasionalmente
a nuestra realidad cotidiana,
esto no elimina el anhelo por el día en que ese Reino
cubrirá toda la tierra.
Cuando Jesús enseñó a sus discípulos a orar, les dijo:
9 Vosotros, pues, oraréis así:
Padre nuestro que estás en los cielos, santificado sea tu nombre.
10 Venga tu reino. Hágase tu voluntad, como en el cielo,
así también en la tierra.
11 El pan nuestro de cada día, dánoslo hoy.
12 Y perdónanos nuestras deudas,
como también nosotros perdonamos a nuestros deudores.
13 Y no nos metas en tentación, mas líbranos del mal;
porque tuyo es el reino, y el poder, y la gloria,
por todos los siglos. Amén.
(Mateo 6:9-13, Reina Valera)
+ Orar el Padre Nuestro: un lamento y una protesta
Decir “Venga tu reino” es un grito de lamento;
es el anhelo salido del alma
de quienes sufren a causa de la opresión
de la ideología y los sistemas de este mundo.
Pero decir “Venga tu reino” es también un grito de protesta;
es el rechazo nacido de la inconformidad
de quienes sufren a causa de la opresión
de la ideología y los sistemas de este mundo.
+ Acercamiento al Discipulado en Medio de la Cultura
De modo que el acercamiento al discipulado
en medio de la cultura que nos rodea
no es un reto nuevo para el Evangelio.
Cada cultura tiene sus propios valores,
algunos buenos y otros malos.
¿Cómo decidimos cuáles son buenos y cuáles malos?
La regla para medirlos es el Reino de Dios,
donde según la Biblia (Escrituras Hebreas y Cristianas)
la ley suprema es el amor a Dios y al prójimo.
En la medida en que los valores culturales
reflejen y impulsen los valores del Reino de Dios
son buenos y debemos secundarlos.
Pero en la medida en que los valores culturales—incluidos los religiosos—
opaquen y contradigan los valores del Reino de Dios
son malos y debemos rechazarlos.
Por ejemplo...
+ La Globalización
o Si nos acerca, es buena; si nos distancia, es mala.
o Si promueve la comprensión y el apoyo mutuo, es buena; si persiste en la incomprensión y la explotación ajena, es mala.
+ Los Avances
o Si los ponemos al servicio de todos, son buenos; si los convertimos en privilegio de unos pocos, son malos.
o Si nos ayudan a respetar la vida, son buenos; si nos conducen a la explotación del planeta y los seres humanos, son malos.
+ El Crecimiento
o Si es producto del esfuerzo honesto, es bueno; si es el saldo de la ambición desmedida, es malo.
o Si se comparten los bienes, es bueno; si se enriquecen sólo unos pocos es malo.
Todo depende...
Hay dos herramientas prácticas que pueden ayudarnos a discerner
si estamos honrando los valores del Reino de Dios.
+ Los Siete Pecados Capitales
Los siete pecados capitales son una clasificación
de los vicios mencionados en las primeras enseñanzas del cristianismo
para educar a sus seguidores acerca de la moral cristiana.
He aquí la lista de los Siete Pecados Capitales:
1. La lujuria
2. La pereza
3. La gula
4. La ira
5. La envidia
6. La avaricia
7. La soberbia
Es una lista impresionante de valores contrarios al Reino de Dios.
Y tienen, desde luego, sus virtudes correspondientes:
1. La lujuria es lo contrario de la castidad
2. La pereza es lo contrario de la diligencia
3. La gula es lo contrario de la templanza
4. La ira es lo contrario de la paciencia
5. La envidia es lo contrario de la caridad
6. La avaricia es lo contrario de la generosidad
7. La soberbia es lo contrario de la humildad
Los siete pecados capitales nos pueden ayudar
a discernir si estamos honrando los valores del Reino de Dios,
sobre todo en el plano personal.
Pero hay una segunda herramienta que puede ayudarnos a evaluar
si estamos honrando los valores del Reino de Dios
en el plano comunitario y mundial.
+ Los Siete Errores Garrafales del Mundo
Los Siete Errores Garrafales del Mundo
son una lista que Mahatma Gandhi le dio a su nieto Arun Gandhi,
escritos en un papelito, el ultimo día en que se vieron,
poco antes del asesinato del maestro.
He aquí los Siete Errores Garrafales del Mundo:
1. La riqueza sin trabajo
2. El placer sin conciencia
3. El conocimiento sin carácter
4. El comercio sin moralidad
5. La ciencia sin humanidad
6. La adoración sin sacrificio
7. La política sin principios
Esta lista de errores garrafales,
opuestos todos, por supuesto, a los valores del Reino de Dios,
nos puede ayudar a reflexionar
sobre el comportamiento colectivo o sistémico.
Necesitamos que el discipulado del Siglo 21
esté menos apegado a los valores culturales,
incluso los religiosos,
y más apegado a los valores del Reino de Dios.
Hay un precioso himno contemporáneo,
que también se encuentra en El Himnario Presbiteriano,
y cuya letra nos ayuda a recordar qué es el Reino de Dios,
y dónde se halla el Reino de Dios.
Se titula “La mano de Dios”. ¿Lo conocen?
Escuchen la letra...
“La Mano de Dios”
El Himnario Presbiteriano 381
1
"La mano de Dios
en nuestro mundo está
actuando con gracia y con poder
la Iglesia debe ver
el gran acontecer
de la poderosa mano de Dios.
2
"La mano de Dios
en nuestro mundo está
derribando estructuras de opresión.
He aquí la destrucción
de toda explotación
por la poderosa mano de Dios.
3
"La mano de Dios
en nuestro mundo está
creando una nueva sociedad
con paz, con hermandad,
justicia y libertad
por la poderosa mano de Dios.
4
"La mano de Dios
en nuestro mundo está
demostrando su modo de vivir,
servir, también sufrir;
y aun hasta morir
sostenidos por la mano de Dios.
5
"La mano de Dios
en nuestro mundo está
forjando una nueva humanidad,
tenemos que luchar
y juntos trabajar
con la poderosa mano de Dios.
6
"La mano de Dios
en nuestro mundo está
obrando con juicio y con amor;
la Iglesia sin temor
se une con valor
a estas obras de la mano de Dios".
Qué el mismo Espíritu que inspiró
a profetas y a Jesús
nos guíe y nos impulse
para unirnos a la mano de Dios
en nuestro mundo
y colaborar con la extensión
de su Reino de justicia y paz
para toda la humanidad.
%%%
"How Awesome…to Be a Good Neighbor"
Sermon
preached at the closing worship of the Summer Conference of
Presbyterian Women in the Synod of Southern California and Hawaii, on
July 17, 2011, at Chapman University, in Orange, California.
Art by Cerezo Barredo: http://www.servicioskoinonia.org/cerezo/dibujosC/39ordinarioC15.jpg
By Magdalena I. García
Scripture Reading: Luke 10:25-37
25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” 29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
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When you think of a good neighbor, who comes to mind?
For me, one of the good neighbors that comes to mind is Bertica,
a woman who lived across the street from my house in Cuba.
You see, by the time I was 11 years old,
my feet were bigger than my mother’s.
My mom, just like her sisters, wears a shoe size 7 or 71/2,
while I, like my father’s sisters, wear a 9 or 91/2.
Having feet bigger than your mother’s as an adolescent
is usually not cause for alarm,
but in my case it was tragic!
I grew up in Cuba, where in the 1960s
there was a tremendous shortage of shoes.
Back then, I only had one pair of shoes,
and they were orthopedic shoes!
My one and only pair of shoes
were black, bulky, with shoelaces, and heavy soles.
They looked like boys’ shoes.
I wore those ugly shoes during the week with my school uniform,
but on the weekends I borrowed my mother’s pretty moccasins.
That is, until I could no longer bend my toes to get into them.
We were struggling with this shoe dilemma,
which was crushing my toes and my self-esteem as an adolescence,
when Bertica, my neighbor, came to the rescue.
Bertica had big feet like mine,
and she offered to loan me a pair of sandals
which I could wear with my Sunday best to go to church.
Bertica was a good neighbor in a time of need.
Today’s Gospel reading is a familiar story about a good neighbor.
Let’s review some of the details.
Jesus set his story on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho.
This is a distance of about 17 miles (or 27 kilometers).
Travel along this rugged road was hazardous,
as robbers had plenty of hiding places.
One stretch of the Jericho road
was known as the “Way of Blood,”
because so many people were robbed and killed there.
Jerusalem was UP on the mountain,
and it’s where the Temple was located.
The priests were the highest class of the Levites.
They were supported by other Levites
who served at lower levels,
doing routine tasks at the temple.
Jericho was DOWN in the Jordan Valley.
The town lies on the West Bank, just north of the Dead Sea,
and it’s the lowest permanently inhabited site on earth.
Although Jericho is surrounded by scorching hot desert,
it is well watered by freshwater springs.
The Hebrew name for Jericho means “fragrant.”
Today it is called the “City of Palms.”
When the priest were not on duty in Jerusalem
they lived or rested in beautiful Jericho.
This is where King Herod had a summer palace.
So priests and Levites often traveled this road.
Jesus’ audience knew all this, so there are no surprises here.
The sequence of the story is very simple.
The first to see the victim is a priest,
but rather than get involved,
he passes by on the other side of the road.
He is followed by a Levite, a temple-worker,
who does the same thing as the priest—he passes by.
But then along comes a Samaritan who behaves as a good neighbor,
and this is the real shock in the story,
because Samaritans were the traditional enemy of the Jews.
In Jewish eyes Samaritans were half-breeds, ethnic traitors, and bad guys.
When the nation was divided,
and Samaria was the capital of the Northern Kingdom,
Samaritans intermarried with other peoples in the region.
Samaritans worshiped at a different site: Mount Gerazim.
Samaritans recognized only the Torah (or the Pentateuch) as inspired.
Jews and Samaritans were hostile to one another.
Therefore, Jesus’ inclusion of the Samaritan is shocking.
By making the Samaritan the hero in the story,
Jesus challenged a long-established religious tradition
and crossed a forbidden cultural boundary.
It’s hard for us to appreciate Jesus’ action
unless we put it in contemporary terms.
Jesus’ inclusion of the Samaritan might be comparable to saying that…
in Jim Crow’s South, a Negro helped a White person (or vice versa), or
in John McCain’s Arizona, an illegal alien helped a citizen (or vice versa), or
in post 9/11 US, a Muslim helped a Christian (or vice versa)…
For the Jews of Jesus’ time Samaritan and neighbor did not add up!
It was unthinkable that there would be anything good about a Samaritan!
For them, the words “good” and “Samaritan” did NOT go together.
But in Jesus’ story, it is a Samaritan—an outcast, an enemy—
who acts as a good neighbor
by going far beyond the call of duty.
He cleans the victim’s wounds and bandages them.
He puts the injured man on his donkey and takes him to an inn.
He promises to pay the innkeeper for all expenses.
This is an exceptional level of assistance
for a victim who is a total stranger and a social enemy.
In this great story of reversals told by Jesus,
the “bad” guy turns out to be the hero.
The Samaritan is the character who understands
that just as the road and the ditch were connected,
his humanity was linked to that of the wounded person’s.
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said,
“An individual has not started living
until he can rise above the narrow confines
of his individualistic concerns
to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
And certainly, in this story, the Samaritan is the bigger person.
The Samaritan was able to “rise above the narrow confines
of his individualistic concerns
to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
And so, with this simple story,
Jesus hooks the lawyer with his own lure.
At the end of the story Jesus asks him,
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor
to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” (verse 36).
And the expert in the law has no option but to respond by saying,
“The one who had mercy on him.”
Then Jesus delivers the punch line:
“Go and do likewise.” (verse 37).
What do we make of a story like this???
RESPONSE 1: PLACE OURSELVES IN THE STORY
Quite often we try to identify with the characters.
Can we see ourselves as any of the characters?
How does it feel to put ourselves in the shoes…
of the priest? the Levite? the wounded person? the Samaritan?
Of course, being devout religious people,
we might be tempted to identify with the Samaritan,
giving at least lip service to the ideal
that we would give unbiased care
to any wounded people along our path.
Or perhaps, we would have the courage to admit
that too often we behave just like the priest and the Levite,
ignoring, looking the other way, playing deaf, or walking on by,
while giving nothing but lip service to the ideal
that we would give loving care
to any wounded people along our path.
Such a reflection is not a bad place to start,
if we have the honesty to acknowledge
that we who are called to “stop by”
have too often specialized in “walking by.”
Such a reflection is not a bad place to start,
if we have the integrity to acknowledge
that we who are called to “stoop down”
have too often specialized in “stepping on.”
What do we make of a story like this???
RESPONSE 2: ASK THE SAME QUESTION AS THE LAWYER
We approach the story by wrestling with the same question as the lawyer.
“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Some people still think that this means “earning a place in heaven.”
But we know that when Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God,
or the Kingdom of Heaven (as it is also called),
he was NOT describing a distant place reserved for some,
but an alternative reality accessible to all.
Through stories like this one Jesus proclaims the Kingdom of God.
And Jesus makes it clear that the Kingdom of God
belongs not just to the “right kinds of people,”
but to all kinds of people who do good deeds
—that is, who do God’s deeds—
despite their ethnicity, their creed, or any other trait.
In her latest book, An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith,
Barbara Brown Taylor,
an American Episcopal priest, professor, renowned preacher,
and award winning author puts it this way:
“To make bread or love, to dig in the earth, to feed an animal or cook for a stranger—these activities require no extensive commentary, no lucid theology. All they require is someone willing to bend, reach, chop, stir. Most of these tasks are so full of pleasure that there is no need to complicate things by calling them holy. And yet these are the same activities that change lives, sometimes all at once and sometimes more slowly, the way dripping water changes stone. In a world where faith is often construed as a way of thinking, bodily practices remind the willing that faith is a way of life.”
Like the lawyer who came to Jesus, we must move beyond
asking the right questions and seeking the right answers
to doing the right things and defending the right causes.
The way to “eternal life”
—which is abundant life here and how for us and for all—
is paved with right doing and not just right belief.
What do we make of a story like this???
RESPONSE 3: JOIN JESUS IN PRACTICING SOME REVERSALS
This is the least common response to the story,
and probably the most scary,
but it is perhaps the most promising.
What would it look like for us to challenge the stereotypes of our day?
What would happen if we let go of the myths
that society—and at times even the church—
have spread about those who are labeled “Samaritans”
(or outcasts, or sinners, or illegals, or anything else)
in our day???
What would happen if instead of perpetuating the prejudices
handed down by religious tradition and cultural boundaries
we risked getting close,
learning their stories,
and caring for their wounds?
Again, someone else said it better than I can.
Anthony de Mello, a Jesuit priest, author of five best-selling books,
and renowned worldwide speaker on spirituality
who died suddenly in 1987, wrote this short meditation
titled “Knowingness.”
Here is what it says:
There were rules in the monastery,
but the Master always warned against the tyranny of the law.
“Obedience keeps the rules,” he would say.
“Love knows when to break them.”
Through the stories like the Good Samaritan,
and the teachings of the Beatitudes,
our Master, Jesus, has given us permission
to break all rules that violate
the supreme rule of love of neighbor.
Fast forward about 25 years from my shoe incident in Cuba.
I’m now in Chicago, and my husband and I have just bought our first home.
At the time, some 15 years ago,
we knew nothing about house maintenance.
And after putting down the 20 percent deposit for the purchase
we did not have a dime to invest in tools.
But along came Dolores, our new across-the-street neighbor,
who had owned her house for over 30 years
and knew how to do everything:
from trimming bushes to cleaning out roof gutters.
Dolores introduced herself, and offered to loan us any tools we needed,
and to even show us how to use them.
Like Bertica, Dolores was a good neighbor in a time of need.
You and I are the across-the-street neighbor
that can make a difference in someone else’s life.
We have the shoes they need and the tools they need.
And in befriending them, we are reconnecting
with our deepest joy and our highest calling.
How awesome indeed to be a good neighbor!
%%%
By Magdalena I. García
Scripture Reading: Luke 10:25-37
25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” 29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
%%%
When you think of a good neighbor, who comes to mind?
For me, one of the good neighbors that comes to mind is Bertica,
a woman who lived across the street from my house in Cuba.
You see, by the time I was 11 years old,
my feet were bigger than my mother’s.
My mom, just like her sisters, wears a shoe size 7 or 71/2,
while I, like my father’s sisters, wear a 9 or 91/2.
Having feet bigger than your mother’s as an adolescent
is usually not cause for alarm,
but in my case it was tragic!
I grew up in Cuba, where in the 1960s
there was a tremendous shortage of shoes.
Back then, I only had one pair of shoes,
and they were orthopedic shoes!
My one and only pair of shoes
were black, bulky, with shoelaces, and heavy soles.
They looked like boys’ shoes.
I wore those ugly shoes during the week with my school uniform,
but on the weekends I borrowed my mother’s pretty moccasins.
That is, until I could no longer bend my toes to get into them.
We were struggling with this shoe dilemma,
which was crushing my toes and my self-esteem as an adolescence,
when Bertica, my neighbor, came to the rescue.
Bertica had big feet like mine,
and she offered to loan me a pair of sandals
which I could wear with my Sunday best to go to church.
Bertica was a good neighbor in a time of need.
Today’s Gospel reading is a familiar story about a good neighbor.
Let’s review some of the details.
Jesus set his story on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho.
This is a distance of about 17 miles (or 27 kilometers).
Travel along this rugged road was hazardous,
as robbers had plenty of hiding places.
One stretch of the Jericho road
was known as the “Way of Blood,”
because so many people were robbed and killed there.
Jerusalem was UP on the mountain,
and it’s where the Temple was located.
The priests were the highest class of the Levites.
They were supported by other Levites
who served at lower levels,
doing routine tasks at the temple.
Jericho was DOWN in the Jordan Valley.
The town lies on the West Bank, just north of the Dead Sea,
and it’s the lowest permanently inhabited site on earth.
Although Jericho is surrounded by scorching hot desert,
it is well watered by freshwater springs.
The Hebrew name for Jericho means “fragrant.”
Today it is called the “City of Palms.”
When the priest were not on duty in Jerusalem
they lived or rested in beautiful Jericho.
This is where King Herod had a summer palace.
So priests and Levites often traveled this road.
Jesus’ audience knew all this, so there are no surprises here.
The sequence of the story is very simple.
The first to see the victim is a priest,
but rather than get involved,
he passes by on the other side of the road.
He is followed by a Levite, a temple-worker,
who does the same thing as the priest—he passes by.
But then along comes a Samaritan who behaves as a good neighbor,
and this is the real shock in the story,
because Samaritans were the traditional enemy of the Jews.
In Jewish eyes Samaritans were half-breeds, ethnic traitors, and bad guys.
When the nation was divided,
and Samaria was the capital of the Northern Kingdom,
Samaritans intermarried with other peoples in the region.
Samaritans worshiped at a different site: Mount Gerazim.
Samaritans recognized only the Torah (or the Pentateuch) as inspired.
Jews and Samaritans were hostile to one another.
Therefore, Jesus’ inclusion of the Samaritan is shocking.
By making the Samaritan the hero in the story,
Jesus challenged a long-established religious tradition
and crossed a forbidden cultural boundary.
It’s hard for us to appreciate Jesus’ action
unless we put it in contemporary terms.
Jesus’ inclusion of the Samaritan might be comparable to saying that…
in Jim Crow’s South, a Negro helped a White person (or vice versa), or
in John McCain’s Arizona, an illegal alien helped a citizen (or vice versa), or
in post 9/11 US, a Muslim helped a Christian (or vice versa)…
For the Jews of Jesus’ time Samaritan and neighbor did not add up!
It was unthinkable that there would be anything good about a Samaritan!
For them, the words “good” and “Samaritan” did NOT go together.
But in Jesus’ story, it is a Samaritan—an outcast, an enemy—
who acts as a good neighbor
by going far beyond the call of duty.
He cleans the victim’s wounds and bandages them.
He puts the injured man on his donkey and takes him to an inn.
He promises to pay the innkeeper for all expenses.
This is an exceptional level of assistance
for a victim who is a total stranger and a social enemy.
In this great story of reversals told by Jesus,
the “bad” guy turns out to be the hero.
The Samaritan is the character who understands
that just as the road and the ditch were connected,
his humanity was linked to that of the wounded person’s.
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said,
“An individual has not started living
until he can rise above the narrow confines
of his individualistic concerns
to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
And certainly, in this story, the Samaritan is the bigger person.
The Samaritan was able to “rise above the narrow confines
of his individualistic concerns
to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
And so, with this simple story,
Jesus hooks the lawyer with his own lure.
At the end of the story Jesus asks him,
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor
to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” (verse 36).
And the expert in the law has no option but to respond by saying,
“The one who had mercy on him.”
Then Jesus delivers the punch line:
“Go and do likewise.” (verse 37).
What do we make of a story like this???
RESPONSE 1: PLACE OURSELVES IN THE STORY
Quite often we try to identify with the characters.
Can we see ourselves as any of the characters?
How does it feel to put ourselves in the shoes…
of the priest? the Levite? the wounded person? the Samaritan?
Of course, being devout religious people,
we might be tempted to identify with the Samaritan,
giving at least lip service to the ideal
that we would give unbiased care
to any wounded people along our path.
Or perhaps, we would have the courage to admit
that too often we behave just like the priest and the Levite,
ignoring, looking the other way, playing deaf, or walking on by,
while giving nothing but lip service to the ideal
that we would give loving care
to any wounded people along our path.
Such a reflection is not a bad place to start,
if we have the honesty to acknowledge
that we who are called to “stop by”
have too often specialized in “walking by.”
Such a reflection is not a bad place to start,
if we have the integrity to acknowledge
that we who are called to “stoop down”
have too often specialized in “stepping on.”
What do we make of a story like this???
RESPONSE 2: ASK THE SAME QUESTION AS THE LAWYER
We approach the story by wrestling with the same question as the lawyer.
“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Some people still think that this means “earning a place in heaven.”
But we know that when Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God,
or the Kingdom of Heaven (as it is also called),
he was NOT describing a distant place reserved for some,
but an alternative reality accessible to all.
Through stories like this one Jesus proclaims the Kingdom of God.
And Jesus makes it clear that the Kingdom of God
belongs not just to the “right kinds of people,”
but to all kinds of people who do good deeds
—that is, who do God’s deeds—
despite their ethnicity, their creed, or any other trait.
In her latest book, An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith,
Barbara Brown Taylor,
an American Episcopal priest, professor, renowned preacher,
and award winning author puts it this way:
“To make bread or love, to dig in the earth, to feed an animal or cook for a stranger—these activities require no extensive commentary, no lucid theology. All they require is someone willing to bend, reach, chop, stir. Most of these tasks are so full of pleasure that there is no need to complicate things by calling them holy. And yet these are the same activities that change lives, sometimes all at once and sometimes more slowly, the way dripping water changes stone. In a world where faith is often construed as a way of thinking, bodily practices remind the willing that faith is a way of life.”
Like the lawyer who came to Jesus, we must move beyond
asking the right questions and seeking the right answers
to doing the right things and defending the right causes.
The way to “eternal life”
—which is abundant life here and how for us and for all—
is paved with right doing and not just right belief.
What do we make of a story like this???
RESPONSE 3: JOIN JESUS IN PRACTICING SOME REVERSALS
This is the least common response to the story,
and probably the most scary,
but it is perhaps the most promising.
What would it look like for us to challenge the stereotypes of our day?
What would happen if we let go of the myths
that society—and at times even the church—
have spread about those who are labeled “Samaritans”
(or outcasts, or sinners, or illegals, or anything else)
in our day???
What would happen if instead of perpetuating the prejudices
handed down by religious tradition and cultural boundaries
we risked getting close,
learning their stories,
and caring for their wounds?
Again, someone else said it better than I can.
Anthony de Mello, a Jesuit priest, author of five best-selling books,
and renowned worldwide speaker on spirituality
who died suddenly in 1987, wrote this short meditation
titled “Knowingness.”
Here is what it says:
There were rules in the monastery,
but the Master always warned against the tyranny of the law.
“Obedience keeps the rules,” he would say.
“Love knows when to break them.”
Through the stories like the Good Samaritan,
and the teachings of the Beatitudes,
our Master, Jesus, has given us permission
to break all rules that violate
the supreme rule of love of neighbor.
Fast forward about 25 years from my shoe incident in Cuba.
I’m now in Chicago, and my husband and I have just bought our first home.
At the time, some 15 years ago,
we knew nothing about house maintenance.
And after putting down the 20 percent deposit for the purchase
we did not have a dime to invest in tools.
But along came Dolores, our new across-the-street neighbor,
who had owned her house for over 30 years
and knew how to do everything:
from trimming bushes to cleaning out roof gutters.
Dolores introduced herself, and offered to loan us any tools we needed,
and to even show us how to use them.
Like Bertica, Dolores was a good neighbor in a time of need.
You and I are the across-the-street neighbor
that can make a difference in someone else’s life.
We have the shoes they need and the tools they need.
And in befriending them, we are reconnecting
with our deepest joy and our highest calling.
How awesome indeed to be a good neighbor!
%%%
"How Awesome...to Do Good Works"
By Magdalena I. García
Sermon preached at the opening worship of the Summer Conference of Presbyterian Women in the Synod of Southern California and Hawaii, on July 15, 2011, at Chapman University, in Orange, California.
Scripture Reading: James 2:1-18 (NRSV)
1My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? 2For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” 4have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
5Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? 7Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?
8You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 9But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11For the one who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? 15If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
18But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.
%%%
Do you recall seeing pictures of celebrities displaying a white mustache?
Superman, Muhammad Ali, Britney Spears, Jennifer Hudson,
Elton John, Ronald McDonald, and others.
Even Spanish celebrities, like Verónica Castro and Charytín.
We’ve seen them all, on billboards and magazines,
displaying a white, foamy, milk mustache
as part of the national “Got milk?” campaign.
“Got Milk?” is an American advertising campaign
encouraging the consumption of cow’s milk.
It was created for the California Milk Processor Board in 1993
and later licensed for use by milk processors and dairy farmers nationwide.
The campaign has been credited with greatly increasing milk sales,
and raising awareness about the health benefits of milk.
“Got Milk?” is one of the most famous commodity brand campaigns
ever launched in the United States.
Want to know more about this campaign or the benefits of milk?
Visit gotmilk.com, where you will find recipes
to make delicious drinks, such as…
a Red Velvet Frappé, a Tiramisu Shake,
a Honey Bee Latte, a Cooling Coconut Cream,
or even a Peanut Butter and Jelly Frappé.
And if you’re a tea drinker, there are recipes for you too…
like an Iced Chai Latte or an Earl Grey Tea Latte.
As I was studying today’s Scripture passage,
I thought about the “Got Milk?” campaign,
and I realized that if James had hired an advertising agency
to launch a campaign for his letter,
the theme may NOT have been “Got Milk?,”
but it could have been, “Got Works?”
Of course, instead of people with foamy, white mustaches,
the campaign would feature James and other Christians hard “at work,”
doing good deeds as a natural consequence of their faith.
Now the “Got Works?” campaign
may be problematic for some Christians.
In fact, we know of at least one of them,
a rather famous and influential one,
who was NOT AMUSED by James’ thesis
that “faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.”
The 16th Century Reformer Martin Luther despised the letter of James!
In his Preface to the New Testament, published in 1522,
he referred to James as an “epistle of straw”
precisely because of its emphasis on works
(as opposed to faith).
Luther would have preferred that James not be written at all,
let alone included in the New Testament canon,
because he felt it contradicted the Apostle Paul’s teachings
on justification by faith.
What do you and I make of James and his message today?
One can read James as a threat
to the doctrine of justification by faith
(which was the way Martin Luther read it).
Or one can read James as a compliment
to the doctrine of justification by faith
(which was the way John Calvin read it).
Or perhaps there is a third way to read James:
as neither a threat nor a compliment to our theology,
but rather as a CALL to live out our faith in such a way
that we honor everyone’s dignity,
and hold each other accountable for our actions
instead of shamelessly justifying
society’s abuses and Christian apathy.
Where do we get this idea, you might ask?
From a closer look at the intended audience for the Letter of James.
To whom is James writing?
James is addressing a general audience,
instead of a particular community.
There are several letters in the New Testament
addressed to a general audience,
which is why they are often called universal letters.
These include James, along with 1st and 2nd Peter,
the Johannine Letters, and Jude.
You could say that these are early examples
of what were later called encyclicals (in the Roman Catholic Church)
or confessions and theological declarations (in the Protestant Church).
James 1:1 says that the letter is addressed
“to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion.”
This is a 1st Century expression that refers to the totally
of Christian Jews living outside Palestine.
And this little phrase begins to give us some clues
about the situation of the original audience.
Most scholars are quick to notice that “the twelve tribes”
has ethnic implications: the audience is Jewish.
Other scholars also notice that “in the Dispersion”
Has sociological implications: the audience is living in exile.
Elsa Tamez is among the scholars who emphasize
that the phrase “...the twelve tribes in the Dispersion…”
highlights two characteristics about the audience of the letter:
1)their ethnicity (that is, their identity as Jews), and
2)their sociology (that is, their condition as migrants).
Tamez has written extensively about James.
She is the author of the book
The Scandalous Message of James: Faith without Works is Dead.
Some of you might recognize her name
Because she is Emeritus Professor of Biblical Studies and Former President
at the Latin American Biblical University
(Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana)
in San Jose, Costa Rica.
In an article titled “James: A Circular Letter for Migrants,” Tamez writes,
“The letter of James is a document of the Wisdom-Prophesy genre,
written to communities that were living far from their land and their culture.
It deals with communities made up of migrants
who live in a society that is, at the same time, hostile and seductive...”
“A Circular Letter for Migrants?”
That’s probably a new reading of James for most of us!
But it’s an accurate description of 1st Century Christian Jews
living outside Palestine in a Greco-Roman society.
These were indeed communities of migrants.
They were communities of immigrants.
They were communities of foreigners.
As Tamez points out, James writes to communities
that are suffering for two basic reasons:
1)their precarious economic situation, and
2)their Jewish ethnic and religious identity.
And Tamez underlines that, to make matters worse,
they are living “in a society that is,
at the same time, hostile and seductive.”
This means that they are living in a society
that does NOT fully accept them,
and yet, simultaneously,
it lures them into behaving like the oppressors.
These are helpful contextual insights
as we try to discern the message of James.
These clues helps us to understand that when James speaks about “trials”
he is not just speaking about a hypothetical situation.
Nor is he speaking about spiritual suffering.
James is referring to the plight of 1st Century Jewish migrants,
who suffered rejection and persecution
because of their identity,
and who endured economic hardship
even at the hands of their brethren
who had acquired the values
of the dominant Greco-Roman culture.
Does that sound familiar? It should!
There are plenty of migrants in the 21st Century.
We live in a world where millions of people
are displaced from their country of origin
due to ethnic and religious conflicts,
and economic disparities.
And there are plenty of immigrants right here, in our midst,
due to ethnic and religious conflicts,
and economic disparities.
Much like the Beatitudes,
the letter of James has a series of “blessings.”
It has words of encouragement...
wonderful, reassuring, and comforting words of encouragement
for any migrants who might be enduring suffering
because of the partiality shown by their neighbors.
And much like the Beatitudes,
the letter of James also has a series of “woes.”
It has words of warning...
tough, troubling, and disturbing words of warning,
for anyone showing partiality
by inflicting suffering on migrants.
Let me offer you an example
of the kind of partiality James is talking about...
James reminds me of a reading selection
titled “The Welcome Table,” written by Alice Walker,
which is one of the essays from contemporary literature
and the life of faith
included in the book Listening for God.
Alice Walker writes about an old woman
with skin “the color of poor gray Georgia earth…,
a long rusty dress adorned with an old corsage, long withered,
and the remnants of an elegant silk scarf as headrag
stained with grease from the many oily pigtails underneath…”
who one Sunday morning, out of the blue,
shows up in the white people’s church.
I quote from the essay now...
“The reverend of the church stopped her pleasantly as she stepped into the vestibule. Did he say, as they thought he did, kindly, “Auntie, you know this is not your church?” As if one could choose the wrong one. But no one remembers, for they never spoke of it afterward, and she brushed past him anyway, as if she had been brushing past him all her life, except this time she was in a hurry. Inside the church she sat on the very first bench from the back, gazing with concentration at the stained–glass window over her head. It was cold, even inside the church, and she was shivering. Everybody could see. They stared at her as they came in and sat down near the front. It was cold, very cold to them, too; outside the church it was below freezing and not much above inside. But the sight of her, sitting there somehow passionately ignoring them, brought them up short, burning.
"The young usher, never having turned anyone out of his church before, but not even considering this job as that (after all, she had no right to be there, certainly), went up to her and whispered that she should leave. Did he call her “Grandma,” as later he seemed to recall he had? But for those who actually hear such traditional pleasantries and to whom they actually mean something, “Grandma” was not one, for she did not pay him any attention, just muttered, “Go way,” in a weak sharp bothered voice, waving his frozen blond hair and eyes from near her face.
"It was the ladies who finally did what to them had to be done. Daring their burly indecisive husbands to throw the old colored woman out they made their point. God, mother, country, earth, church. It involved all that, and well they knew it. Leather bagged and shoed, with good calfskin gloves to keep out the cold, they looked with contempt at the bootless gray arthritic hands of the old woman, clenched loosely, restlessly in her lap. Could their husbands expect them to sit up in church with that? No, no, the husbands were quick to answer and even quicker to do their duty.
"Under the old woman’s arms they placed their hard fists (which afterward smelled of decay and musk—the fermenting scent of onionskins and rotting greens). Under the old woman’s arms they raised their fists, flexed their muscular shoulders, and out she flew through the door, back under the cold blue sky. This done, the wives folded their healthy arms across their trim middles and felt at once justified and scornful. But none of them said so, for none of them ever spoke of the incident again. Inside the church it was warmer. They sang, they prayed. The protection and promise of God’s impartial love grew more not less desirable as the sermon gathered fury and lashed itself out above their penitent heads...”
My friends, this is the kind of favoritism and shameful behavior
that James condemns in his letter.
And James makes it clear that the Christian faith
is not a question of right believing,
but a matter of right living.
At the end of Chapter 1, James writes,
22But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers
who deceive themselves...
27Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this:
to care for orphans and widows in their distress,
and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
And in Chapter 2, which we read today, James adds,
14What good is it, my brothers and sisters,
if you say you have faith but do not have works?
Can faith save you?
15If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food,
16and one of you says to them,
“Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,”
and yet you do not supply their bodily needs,
what is the good of that?
17So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
What is there not to understand about these words?
Rarely is Scripture so clear!
And James’ writing echoes Jesus’ teaching in the Beatitudes.
Needless to say, a “Got Works?” campaign
would have been very popular and successful…
among those 1st Century Jewish migrants
to whom James is writing,
because they were exiled and oppressed
in a Greco-Roman world.
And a “Got Works?” campaign
would have been equally popular and successful…
among Jesus’ followers,
because they were living under the political occupation
of the Roman Empire in Palestine.
For James and for Jesus works are not optional in the life of faith.
Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, honoring the poor,
welcoming the stranger, accepting everyone,
loving one’s neighbor, and showing no partiality
are at the core of who we are as Christians.
And for James and Jesus, doing good works
is not—and should not be—a burden.
Doing good works is a natural consequence of our faith.
How awesome that we can do good works!
How awesome that we can live in such a way
that Jesus would call us “blessed.”
How awesome that we can choose to behave in such a way
that nobody should have to ask of us: “Got Works?”
%%%
Sermon preached at the opening worship of the Summer Conference of Presbyterian Women in the Synod of Southern California and Hawaii, on July 15, 2011, at Chapman University, in Orange, California.
Scripture Reading: James 2:1-18 (NRSV)
1My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? 2For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” 4have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
5Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? 7Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?
8You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 9But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11For the one who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? 15If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
18But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.
%%%
Do you recall seeing pictures of celebrities displaying a white mustache?
Superman, Muhammad Ali, Britney Spears, Jennifer Hudson,
Elton John, Ronald McDonald, and others.
Even Spanish celebrities, like Verónica Castro and Charytín.
We’ve seen them all, on billboards and magazines,
displaying a white, foamy, milk mustache
as part of the national “Got milk?” campaign.
“Got Milk?” is an American advertising campaign
encouraging the consumption of cow’s milk.
It was created for the California Milk Processor Board in 1993
and later licensed for use by milk processors and dairy farmers nationwide.
The campaign has been credited with greatly increasing milk sales,
and raising awareness about the health benefits of milk.
“Got Milk?” is one of the most famous commodity brand campaigns
ever launched in the United States.
Want to know more about this campaign or the benefits of milk?
Visit gotmilk.com, where you will find recipes
to make delicious drinks, such as…
a Red Velvet Frappé, a Tiramisu Shake,
a Honey Bee Latte, a Cooling Coconut Cream,
or even a Peanut Butter and Jelly Frappé.
And if you’re a tea drinker, there are recipes for you too…
like an Iced Chai Latte or an Earl Grey Tea Latte.
As I was studying today’s Scripture passage,
I thought about the “Got Milk?” campaign,
and I realized that if James had hired an advertising agency
to launch a campaign for his letter,
the theme may NOT have been “Got Milk?,”
but it could have been, “Got Works?”
Of course, instead of people with foamy, white mustaches,
the campaign would feature James and other Christians hard “at work,”
doing good deeds as a natural consequence of their faith.
Now the “Got Works?” campaign
may be problematic for some Christians.
In fact, we know of at least one of them,
a rather famous and influential one,
who was NOT AMUSED by James’ thesis
that “faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.”
The 16th Century Reformer Martin Luther despised the letter of James!
In his Preface to the New Testament, published in 1522,
he referred to James as an “epistle of straw”
precisely because of its emphasis on works
(as opposed to faith).
Luther would have preferred that James not be written at all,
let alone included in the New Testament canon,
because he felt it contradicted the Apostle Paul’s teachings
on justification by faith.
What do you and I make of James and his message today?
One can read James as a threat
to the doctrine of justification by faith
(which was the way Martin Luther read it).
Or one can read James as a compliment
to the doctrine of justification by faith
(which was the way John Calvin read it).
Or perhaps there is a third way to read James:
as neither a threat nor a compliment to our theology,
but rather as a CALL to live out our faith in such a way
that we honor everyone’s dignity,
and hold each other accountable for our actions
instead of shamelessly justifying
society’s abuses and Christian apathy.
Where do we get this idea, you might ask?
From a closer look at the intended audience for the Letter of James.
To whom is James writing?
James is addressing a general audience,
instead of a particular community.
There are several letters in the New Testament
addressed to a general audience,
which is why they are often called universal letters.
These include James, along with 1st and 2nd Peter,
the Johannine Letters, and Jude.
You could say that these are early examples
of what were later called encyclicals (in the Roman Catholic Church)
or confessions and theological declarations (in the Protestant Church).
James 1:1 says that the letter is addressed
“to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion.”
This is a 1st Century expression that refers to the totally
of Christian Jews living outside Palestine.
And this little phrase begins to give us some clues
about the situation of the original audience.
Most scholars are quick to notice that “the twelve tribes”
has ethnic implications: the audience is Jewish.
Other scholars also notice that “in the Dispersion”
Has sociological implications: the audience is living in exile.
Elsa Tamez is among the scholars who emphasize
that the phrase “...the twelve tribes in the Dispersion…”
highlights two characteristics about the audience of the letter:
1)their ethnicity (that is, their identity as Jews), and
2)their sociology (that is, their condition as migrants).
Tamez has written extensively about James.
She is the author of the book
The Scandalous Message of James: Faith without Works is Dead.
Some of you might recognize her name
Because she is Emeritus Professor of Biblical Studies and Former President
at the Latin American Biblical University
(Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana)
in San Jose, Costa Rica.
In an article titled “James: A Circular Letter for Migrants,” Tamez writes,
“The letter of James is a document of the Wisdom-Prophesy genre,
written to communities that were living far from their land and their culture.
It deals with communities made up of migrants
who live in a society that is, at the same time, hostile and seductive...”
“A Circular Letter for Migrants?”
That’s probably a new reading of James for most of us!
But it’s an accurate description of 1st Century Christian Jews
living outside Palestine in a Greco-Roman society.
These were indeed communities of migrants.
They were communities of immigrants.
They were communities of foreigners.
As Tamez points out, James writes to communities
that are suffering for two basic reasons:
1)their precarious economic situation, and
2)their Jewish ethnic and religious identity.
And Tamez underlines that, to make matters worse,
they are living “in a society that is,
at the same time, hostile and seductive.”
This means that they are living in a society
that does NOT fully accept them,
and yet, simultaneously,
it lures them into behaving like the oppressors.
These are helpful contextual insights
as we try to discern the message of James.
These clues helps us to understand that when James speaks about “trials”
he is not just speaking about a hypothetical situation.
Nor is he speaking about spiritual suffering.
James is referring to the plight of 1st Century Jewish migrants,
who suffered rejection and persecution
because of their identity,
and who endured economic hardship
even at the hands of their brethren
who had acquired the values
of the dominant Greco-Roman culture.
Does that sound familiar? It should!
There are plenty of migrants in the 21st Century.
We live in a world where millions of people
are displaced from their country of origin
due to ethnic and religious conflicts,
and economic disparities.
And there are plenty of immigrants right here, in our midst,
due to ethnic and religious conflicts,
and economic disparities.
Much like the Beatitudes,
the letter of James has a series of “blessings.”
It has words of encouragement...
wonderful, reassuring, and comforting words of encouragement
for any migrants who might be enduring suffering
because of the partiality shown by their neighbors.
And much like the Beatitudes,
the letter of James also has a series of “woes.”
It has words of warning...
tough, troubling, and disturbing words of warning,
for anyone showing partiality
by inflicting suffering on migrants.
Let me offer you an example
of the kind of partiality James is talking about...
James reminds me of a reading selection
titled “The Welcome Table,” written by Alice Walker,
which is one of the essays from contemporary literature
and the life of faith
included in the book Listening for God.
Alice Walker writes about an old woman
with skin “the color of poor gray Georgia earth…,
a long rusty dress adorned with an old corsage, long withered,
and the remnants of an elegant silk scarf as headrag
stained with grease from the many oily pigtails underneath…”
who one Sunday morning, out of the blue,
shows up in the white people’s church.
I quote from the essay now...
“The reverend of the church stopped her pleasantly as she stepped into the vestibule. Did he say, as they thought he did, kindly, “Auntie, you know this is not your church?” As if one could choose the wrong one. But no one remembers, for they never spoke of it afterward, and she brushed past him anyway, as if she had been brushing past him all her life, except this time she was in a hurry. Inside the church she sat on the very first bench from the back, gazing with concentration at the stained–glass window over her head. It was cold, even inside the church, and she was shivering. Everybody could see. They stared at her as they came in and sat down near the front. It was cold, very cold to them, too; outside the church it was below freezing and not much above inside. But the sight of her, sitting there somehow passionately ignoring them, brought them up short, burning.
"The young usher, never having turned anyone out of his church before, but not even considering this job as that (after all, she had no right to be there, certainly), went up to her and whispered that she should leave. Did he call her “Grandma,” as later he seemed to recall he had? But for those who actually hear such traditional pleasantries and to whom they actually mean something, “Grandma” was not one, for she did not pay him any attention, just muttered, “Go way,” in a weak sharp bothered voice, waving his frozen blond hair and eyes from near her face.
"It was the ladies who finally did what to them had to be done. Daring their burly indecisive husbands to throw the old colored woman out they made their point. God, mother, country, earth, church. It involved all that, and well they knew it. Leather bagged and shoed, with good calfskin gloves to keep out the cold, they looked with contempt at the bootless gray arthritic hands of the old woman, clenched loosely, restlessly in her lap. Could their husbands expect them to sit up in church with that? No, no, the husbands were quick to answer and even quicker to do their duty.
"Under the old woman’s arms they placed their hard fists (which afterward smelled of decay and musk—the fermenting scent of onionskins and rotting greens). Under the old woman’s arms they raised their fists, flexed their muscular shoulders, and out she flew through the door, back under the cold blue sky. This done, the wives folded their healthy arms across their trim middles and felt at once justified and scornful. But none of them said so, for none of them ever spoke of the incident again. Inside the church it was warmer. They sang, they prayed. The protection and promise of God’s impartial love grew more not less desirable as the sermon gathered fury and lashed itself out above their penitent heads...”
My friends, this is the kind of favoritism and shameful behavior
that James condemns in his letter.
And James makes it clear that the Christian faith
is not a question of right believing,
but a matter of right living.
At the end of Chapter 1, James writes,
22But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers
who deceive themselves...
27Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this:
to care for orphans and widows in their distress,
and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
And in Chapter 2, which we read today, James adds,
14What good is it, my brothers and sisters,
if you say you have faith but do not have works?
Can faith save you?
15If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food,
16and one of you says to them,
“Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,”
and yet you do not supply their bodily needs,
what is the good of that?
17So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
What is there not to understand about these words?
Rarely is Scripture so clear!
And James’ writing echoes Jesus’ teaching in the Beatitudes.
Needless to say, a “Got Works?” campaign
would have been very popular and successful…
among those 1st Century Jewish migrants
to whom James is writing,
because they were exiled and oppressed
in a Greco-Roman world.
And a “Got Works?” campaign
would have been equally popular and successful…
among Jesus’ followers,
because they were living under the political occupation
of the Roman Empire in Palestine.
For James and for Jesus works are not optional in the life of faith.
Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, honoring the poor,
welcoming the stranger, accepting everyone,
loving one’s neighbor, and showing no partiality
are at the core of who we are as Christians.
And for James and Jesus, doing good works
is not—and should not be—a burden.
Doing good works is a natural consequence of our faith.
How awesome that we can do good works!
How awesome that we can live in such a way
that Jesus would call us “blessed.”
How awesome that we can choose to behave in such a way
that nobody should have to ask of us: “Got Works?”
%%%
Monday, July 18, 2011
"On Hiding"
The Open Door: 7/17/11
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.
La Puerta Abierta: 7/17/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.
From the Pastor: “On Hiding”
Most of us enjoyed playing hide-and-seek as children. Perhaps it was because of the thrill of disappearing, or the excitement of being found. As adults, we also play hide-and-seek. Sometimes we try to hide from our own truth, or from inevitable choices. In Psalm 139 we are reminded that with God there is no hiding place. We read: “You have looked deep into my heart, Lord, and you know all about me. You know when I am resting or when I am working, and from heaven you discover my thoughts” (Psalm 139:1-2). But the good news is that despite knowing us, God loves us, so there is no need to hide. ~ Pastor Magdalena
De la Pastora: “Sobre el Esconderse”
A la mayoría de nosotros nos gustaba jugar a los escondidos en la infancia. Quizás por la ilusión de desaparecer, o por la emoción de ser hallado. Los adultos también jugamos a los escondidos. A veces intentamos escondernos de nuestra propia verdad y otras, de decisiones inevitables. El Salmo 139 nos recuerda que con Dios no hay escondites. Leemos: “Señor, tú me has examinado y me conoces; tú conoces todas mis acciones; aun de lejos te das cuenta de lo que pienso” (Salm 139:1-2). Pero la buena noticia es que a pesar de conocernos, Dios nos ama, así que no necesitamos escondernos. ~ Pastora Magdalena
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.
La Puerta Abierta: 7/17/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.
From the Pastor: “On Hiding”
Most of us enjoyed playing hide-and-seek as children. Perhaps it was because of the thrill of disappearing, or the excitement of being found. As adults, we also play hide-and-seek. Sometimes we try to hide from our own truth, or from inevitable choices. In Psalm 139 we are reminded that with God there is no hiding place. We read: “You have looked deep into my heart, Lord, and you know all about me. You know when I am resting or when I am working, and from heaven you discover my thoughts” (Psalm 139:1-2). But the good news is that despite knowing us, God loves us, so there is no need to hide. ~ Pastor Magdalena
De la Pastora: “Sobre el Esconderse”
A la mayoría de nosotros nos gustaba jugar a los escondidos en la infancia. Quizás por la ilusión de desaparecer, o por la emoción de ser hallado. Los adultos también jugamos a los escondidos. A veces intentamos escondernos de nuestra propia verdad y otras, de decisiones inevitables. El Salmo 139 nos recuerda que con Dios no hay escondites. Leemos: “Señor, tú me has examinado y me conoces; tú conoces todas mis acciones; aun de lejos te das cuenta de lo que pienso” (Salm 139:1-2). Pero la buena noticia es que a pesar de conocernos, Dios nos ama, así que no necesitamos escondernos. ~ Pastora Magdalena
Monday, July 11, 2011
"On Seeds"
The Open Door: 7/10/11
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.
La Puerta Abierta: 7/10/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.
From the Pastor: “On Seeds”
When was the last time you looked at a seed? And when was the last time you planted one? It’s a miracle that something so small should sprout, take root, bloom, and even yield fruit despite adverse circumstances. But it is possible! Therefore, as we read the Parable of the Sower this week, let’s think about the potential of the Word of God, which is the seed that we have been called to spread. And as we go through everyday life, let us focus on the possibilities, instead of the adversities. May we cast seeds of love and hope wherever we walk, trusting that in God’s time they will sprout. ~ Pastor Magdalena
De la Pastora: “Sobre las Semillas”
¿Cuándo fue la última vez que usted miró una semilla? ¿Y cuándo fue la última vez que sembró una? Es un milagro que algo tan pequeño germine, eche raíces, florezca e incluso dé frutos a pesar las circunstancias adversas. ¡Pero es posible! Por lo tanto, al leer la Parábola del Sembrador esta semana, pensemos en el potencial de la Palabra de Dios, que es la semilla que estamos llamad@s a sembrar. Y al transitar por nuestra vida cotidiana, tratemos de enfocarnos en las posibilidades, en vez de la adversidad. Sembremos semillas de amor y esperanza por doquier, confiando en que Dios en su momento las hará brotar. ~ Pastora Magdalena
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.
La Puerta Abierta: 7/10/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.
From the Pastor: “On Seeds”
When was the last time you looked at a seed? And when was the last time you planted one? It’s a miracle that something so small should sprout, take root, bloom, and even yield fruit despite adverse circumstances. But it is possible! Therefore, as we read the Parable of the Sower this week, let’s think about the potential of the Word of God, which is the seed that we have been called to spread. And as we go through everyday life, let us focus on the possibilities, instead of the adversities. May we cast seeds of love and hope wherever we walk, trusting that in God’s time they will sprout. ~ Pastor Magdalena
De la Pastora: “Sobre las Semillas”
¿Cuándo fue la última vez que usted miró una semilla? ¿Y cuándo fue la última vez que sembró una? Es un milagro que algo tan pequeño germine, eche raíces, florezca e incluso dé frutos a pesar las circunstancias adversas. ¡Pero es posible! Por lo tanto, al leer la Parábola del Sembrador esta semana, pensemos en el potencial de la Palabra de Dios, que es la semilla que estamos llamad@s a sembrar. Y al transitar por nuestra vida cotidiana, tratemos de enfocarnos en las posibilidades, en vez de la adversidad. Sembremos semillas de amor y esperanza por doquier, confiando en que Dios en su momento las hará brotar. ~ Pastora Magdalena
Monday, July 4, 2011
"On Independence"
The Open Door: 7/3/11
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.
La Puerta Abierta: 7/3/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.
From the Pastor: “On Independence”
This weekend the US celebrates Independence Day, and over the summer several Latin American countries will also celebrate their independence. The Bible says that we are each made in God’s image, but we are meant to live in community. Romans 12:5 says, “There are many of us, but we each are part of the body of Christ, as well as part of one another.” What do we make of this apparent contradiction? The challenge is to enjoy our independence without forgetting our interdependence! We are at our best when we honor our bond with other human beings! ~ Pastor Magdalena
De la Pastora: “Sobre la independencia”
Este fin de semana Estados Unidos celebra su Día de Independencia y durante el verano varios países latinoamericanos conmemoran su independencia. La Biblia dice que fuimos cread@s individualmente a la imagen de Dios, pero fuimos cread@s para vivir en comunidad. Romanos 12:5 dice: “Aunque somos muchos, formamos un solo cuerpo en Cristo y estamos unidos unos a otros como miembros de un mismo cuerpo”. ¿Qué haremos con esta aparente contradicción? ¡El reto es disfrutar nuestra independencia sin olvidar nuestra interdependencia! Tod@s somos mejores cuando honramos nuestros lazos con otros seres humanos. ~ Pastora Magdalena
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.
La Puerta Abierta: 7/3/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.
From the Pastor: “On Independence”
This weekend the US celebrates Independence Day, and over the summer several Latin American countries will also celebrate their independence. The Bible says that we are each made in God’s image, but we are meant to live in community. Romans 12:5 says, “There are many of us, but we each are part of the body of Christ, as well as part of one another.” What do we make of this apparent contradiction? The challenge is to enjoy our independence without forgetting our interdependence! We are at our best when we honor our bond with other human beings! ~ Pastor Magdalena
De la Pastora: “Sobre la independencia”
Este fin de semana Estados Unidos celebra su Día de Independencia y durante el verano varios países latinoamericanos conmemoran su independencia. La Biblia dice que fuimos cread@s individualmente a la imagen de Dios, pero fuimos cread@s para vivir en comunidad. Romanos 12:5 dice: “Aunque somos muchos, formamos un solo cuerpo en Cristo y estamos unidos unos a otros como miembros de un mismo cuerpo”. ¿Qué haremos con esta aparente contradicción? ¡El reto es disfrutar nuestra independencia sin olvidar nuestra interdependencia! Tod@s somos mejores cuando honramos nuestros lazos con otros seres humanos. ~ Pastora Magdalena
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