“Faithful to God’s Word”

Picture of a young, pensive, and dishevelled Martin Luther, a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation.

Reformation Sunday Sermon
Based on John 8:31-36
Rev. Magdalena I. García

Common English Bible (CEB)
31 Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teaching. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They responded, “We are Abraham’s children; we’ve never been anyone’s slaves. How can you say that we will be set free?” 34 Jesus answered, “I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 A slave isn’t a permanent member of the household, but a son is. 36 Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you really will be free. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s children, yet you want to kill me because you don’t welcome my teaching.

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Introduction: Contemporary reforms

British Princesses To Be Equal To Princes In Line Of Succession
That was a National Public Radio headline on October 28, 2011.
And here is how the story began:
“Sons and daughters of any future U.K. monarch will have equal right to the throne” under royalty succession reforms agreed to today by all 16 Commonwealth countries, the BBC reports.
“And under the new rules, British kings and queens will no longer be banned from marrying Roman Catholics — though the rule barring a Catholic from becoming king or queen will remain...”

And the story went on to clarify what this means:
“...if the first child born to William and Kate
— the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — is a girl,
she would be the heir to the throne,
assuming her father one day becomes king...”

It’s amazing how a decision on an issue
that is a no-brainer took centuries!
And this is a contemporary example
of a long-awaited reform in the life of monarchies.

Today is Reformation Sunday
What do we celebrate on Reformation Sunday?

The Protestant Reformation was, as its name indicates,
a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517,
although its roots lie further back in time.
The movement began as an attempt to reform
the Roman Catholic Church
(which was the Western branch of the Christian Church,
with the Orthodox and the Coptic churches to the East),
although it resulted in a schism
and the establishment of the Protestant Church.

What was the issue, you might ask?
Many western Roman Catholics were troubled
by what they saw as false doctrines
and malpractices within the Church,
particularly involving the teaching and sale of indulgences.

What was an indulgence, you might ask?
For me, an indulgence can be...
a slice of rum cake, drizzled with buttery rum syrup,
and topped with Haagen-Dazs rum raising ice cream?
For my husband, an indulgence can be...
a wedge of warm pecan pie,
topped with creamy vanilla ice cream.

According to Dictionary.com, an indulgence is, basically,
“the act or practice of indulging; gratification of desire...”
So, that decadent, dark chocolate brownie on a bed of caramel,
and topped with raspberry sauce is definitely an indulgence!!!

But in Roman Catholic theology,
an indulgence is something entirely different.
Here is a simple definition from Wikipedia.com:
“In Catholic theology, an indulgence is the full or partial remission
of temporal punishment due for sins
which have already been forgiven.”

A major figure of the Reformation was Martin Luther
(November 10, 1483 – February 18, 1546).
He was a German monk, theologian, university professor,
Father of Protestantism, and church reformer
whose ideas influenced the Protestant Reformation
and changed the course of Western civilization.

What were the Reformation ideals?
Luther’s theology challenged the authority of the papacy
by affirming that the Bible
is the only infallible source of religious authority,
and that all baptized Christians under Jesus are a universal priesthood.

According to Martin Luther
—and to Reformers before him, such as John Wycliffe and John Hus,
and to reformers after him, such as John Calvin and John Knox—
salvation is a free gift of God,
received only by true repentance and faith in Jesus as the Messiah,
and this faith is given by God and unmediated by the church.

Another major contention of the Reformation
was the practice of buying and selling church positions,
and what was seen at the time as considerable corruption
within the Church’s hierarchy.

When did the Reformation take place?
It is usually said to have begun in 1517
when Luther published The Ninety-Five Theses.
The Protestant Reformation—also called the Protestant Revolt—
was a 16th Century event,
a split within Western Christianity.

But the Reformation is also an ongoing movement and a way of life.
We are, after all, part of the theological heritage
that in the 16th Century coined a phrase in Latin
that has become the slogan for all Reformed Christians:
“ecclesia reformata semper reformanda secundum verbum Dei”
[the church reformed, always being reformed, according to the Word of God]

What about Reformation today?
What does it mean for us to be...
“the church reformed, always being reformed,
according to the word of God?”
It means that we also struggle to figure out
how to resist the evil forces—within us and around us—
(those voices that invite us to “say yes”
to all kinds of apparently innocent things)
in order to live with greater faithfulness to the Word of God.

Faithfulness to the Word of God has led the Presbyterian Church
to take action around various issues, such as...

+ the ordination of women
In 2006 the PC(USA) celebrated the anniversary of women’s ordinations: 100 years for deacons, 75 years for elders, and 50 years for ministers.

+ the adoption of confessions that call for greater inclusiveness, such as:
-The Confession of 1967
-A Brief Statement of Faith

+ the use of inclusive language
The General Assembly has taken action and encouraged the church to use inclusive language since 1971. The brochure Well Chosen Words! (allwomen.pcusa.org/pdf/wellchosenwords.pdf) is a resource that offers suggestions for the use of “Inclusive Language with Reference to the People of God and Expansive language with Reference to God.”

+ the ratification of Amendment 10-A
This historic action has had an important effect on our life together as a church, mainly, that persons in a same-gender relationship may be considered for ordination and/or installation as deacons, elders, and ministers of the Word and Sacrament within the PC(USA).

Amendment 10-A was approved by the 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in July 2010, and ratified by a majority (87) of the PC(USA)’s 173 presbyteries (regional bodies) on May 10, 2011. Thus, it is now part of the Book of Order.

There is a minority group within the denomination still expressing discontent over this measure, and some partner churches overseas have broken their relationship with our denomination. But other respected leaders and churches have applauded our denomination’s prophetic action.

(See letter from Archbishop Desmond Tutu inserted in your bulletin today.)

Faithfulness to the Word of God has also led contemporary Christians
to take action around political and economic issues, such as...

+ oppose the war in Iraq
Here is a quote from an October 27, 2011 editorial by Jim Wallis, the CEO of Sojourners magazine (an evangelical publication that articulates the Biblical call for social justice):

“The war in Iraq was fundamentally a war of choice, and it was the wrong choice.

“From the outset, this war was fought on false pretenses, with false information, and for false purposes. And the official decisions to argue for this war and then carry it out were made at the height of political and moral irresponsibility — especially when we see the failed results and consider both the human and financial costs...

“Here are some of the costs of an unjust war:
-4,499 U.S. military killed
-32,200 wounded
-110,000 estimated Iraqi civilian deaths
-2.5 million internally displaced Iraqis
-$800 billion in federal funding for the Iraq War through FY2011
-An estimated $3-5 trillion total economic cost to the United States of the war in Iraq.
-As many as 300,000 U.S. troops returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with post-traumatic stress disorder.
-320,000 troops returning from Afghanistan and Iraq with traumatic brain injuries
-The number of suicide attempts by veterans could exceed an earlier official estimate of 1,000 a month.”

+ occupy Wall Street
What is the occupation all about? Here is what Alan A. Aja, Assistant Professor in the Department of Puerto Rican & Latino Studies at the City University of New York (CUNY)- Brooklyn College, had to say about it in an October 11, 2011 article titled “Confessions of a Protesting Middle-Class Freak”, and published by the blog Your Black Politics:

“Put simply: Wall Street executives and their elected-appointed government bedfellows should be held accountable for years of pain and suffering they have caused an overwhelming majority of people domestically and worldwide, is such too much to ask? Only if you join the freaks!”

And so the question this morning is this:
What will faithfulness to the Word of God lead you to do today?
As we continue to journey through this season of stewardship,
I pray that faithfulness to the Word of God
will lead more of us to give...
I pray that, minimally, faithfulness to the Word of God
will lead more of our members and friends,
to ponder their commitment to the church,
and to pledge their support to this congregation,
giving of their talent, their time, and their money.

This congregation is a unique place of ministry.
It is the only multicultural, bilingual and progressive church
in this presbytery and, as far as I know, in the City of Chicago.
There are plenty of other progressive congregations,
but they are neither multicultural nor bilingual.
There are a some other multicultural congregations,
but they are neither bilingual nor progressive.
There are a few other bilingual congregations,
but they are neither multicultural nor progressive.

Ravenswood Presbyterian Church is a unique congregation,
one that has been shaped not by safe choices,
but by faithfulness to the Word of God.
Are you aware that you are part
of this wonderful heritage and family?
And more importantly,
will you renew your commitment
to do everything within your power
not just to keep this place going,
but to keep it growing in faithfulness to God’s Word?

Now, let’s be clear, there is a difference, a world of difference,
between working to keep a church going
and ministering to keep a church growing!
The former ultimately kills the church,
while the latter gives it new life.

Reformation Sunday is an invitation
to commit ourselves to take new risks
in order to be faithful to God’s Word.

And so this morning, in the Spirit of the Reformation,
I invite you to prayerfully consider
the things that we need to risk and the ways we need to invest,
in our personal lives and in our church life,
so that we might be faithful to the Word of God.

And I invite you to prayerfully consider
the things that we need to let go of
and the things we need to do,
in our personal lives and in our church life,
so that we might be faithful to the Word of God.

And may the Church reformed,
always continue to be reformed,
according to the Word of God,
lest we become the church deformed.

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Link to the NPR story:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/10/28/141789347/british-princesses-to-be-equal-to-princes-in-line-of-succession?sc=fb&cc=fp

Link to the Sojourners editorial by Jim Wallis:
http://blog.sojo.net/2011/10/27/it%E2%80%99s-finally-over-and-it-was-wrong/

Link to the opinion by Alan A. Aja:
http://yourblackpolitics.blogspot.com/2011/10/confessions-of-protesting-middle-class.html#more

“On Gratitude”

My uncle, Mario Garcia, and my son Miguel A. Torres Garcia, brewing Cafe Bustelo espresso at International Night.
Mi tío, Mario García, y mi hijo, Miguel A. Torres García, colando Café Bustelo en la Noche Internacional.

The Open Door: 10/30/11
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.

La Puerta Abierta: 10/30/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.

From the Pastor: “On Gratitude”
Fall is a season when we take in the harvest, and give thanks. In 1st Thessalonians 5:16-18 (CEB), we are encouraged to live grateful lives: “Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. One of the reasons why we are grateful this fall is that for almost 10 years Mario García has been part of our congregation, and has provided complimentary Café Bustelo. He now returns to Miami, Florida, and we wish him a happy retirement, and many more years percolating! ~ Rev. Magdalena I. García

De la Pastora: “Sobre la Gratitud”
El otoño es una estación en la que recogemos la cosecha y damos gracias. En 1ra de Tesalonicenses 5:16-22 (DHH), se nos anima a que vivamos vidas agradecidas: “Estén siempre contentos. Oren en todo momento. Den gracias a Dios por todo, porque esto es lo que [Dios] quiere de ustedes como creyentes en Cristo Jesús”. Uno de los motivos por los que damos gracias a Dios hoy es porque por casi 10 años hemos tenido en nuestra congregación a Mario García, quien nos ha provisto con Café Bustelo. Él hora regresa a Miami, Florida, y le deseamos una feliz jubilación, ¡y muchas coladas más! ~ Rev. Magdalena I. García

“On Dictators”

The Open Door: 10/23/11
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.

La Puerta Abierta: 10/23/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.

From the Pastor: “On Dictators”
As I write these words, the world is rejoicing over the capture and death of Colonel Moammar Gadhafi, who ruled Libya for more than 40 years and became one of the world’s most notorious dictators and sponsors of terrorism. It’s not the first time something like this happens in recent history, and there is reason to rejoice over the end of tyranny. Yet, we know that many more dictators go on oppressing peoples. As Christians, may we pray and work for the day when all dictatorships are history, because the KIN-DOM of God has come for everyone. ~ Rev. Magdalena I. García

De la Pastora: “Sobre los Dictadores”
Al escribir estas palabras, el mundo se regocija por la captura y muerte del Coronel Moammar Gadhafi, quien gobernó Libia por más de 40 años y se convirtió en uno de los dictadores mundiales más notorios, patrocinador del terrorismo. No es la primera vez que sucede algo similar en la historia reciente, y hay motivo para regocijarse con el fin de la tiranía. Sin embargo, sabemos que muchos otros dictadores continúan oprimiendo a los pueblos. Como cristianos, oremos y trabajemos para que llegue el día en que todas las dictaduras desaparezcan porque el Reino de Dios ha llegado para toda la humanidad.
~ Rev. Magdalena I. García

“Turn aside”

A sermon preached by Rev. Magdalena I. García at the Opening Worship for the 2011 Women of Color Consultation, held October 20-23, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Exodus 3:1-15 (NRSV)
1Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. 3Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” 4When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
7Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”
11But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” 13But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’“ 15God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’: This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.

+++

Vignette #1
“There is no hiding place”

Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine Band,
have given the world much energizing music.
And as I was pondering Exodus 3,
one of their songs kept popping into my head.
It’s the one called, “The Rhythm Is Gonna Get You.”
Do you know it? Sing it with me...

O eh, o eh, o eh, o eh
O eh, oo aah, o eh, oo aah
O eh, o eh, o eh, o eh
O eh, oo aah, o eh, oo aah

At night when you turn off all the lights
There’s no place that you can hide
Oh no, the rhythm is gonna get you

In bed, throw the covers on your head
You pretend like you are dead
But I know it, the rhythm is gonna get you

Rhythm is gonna get you,
Rhythm is gonna get you,
Rhythm is gonna get you
The rhythm is gonna get you tonight...

The more I heard that song in my head,
the more I thought about Moses!
He thinks he can get away.
He thinks he can leave Egypt behind.
He thinks he’ll never again have to deal
with those tattle-tale Israelites.
But he can’t get away because...
“the rhythm is gonna get you!”

And that’s the first point I’d like to make tonight:
there is no getting away,
because “God’s rhythm is gonna get you!”

You might manage to get away from God’s people for a while,
you might get away from the hood, the barrio or the trenches for a while,
but there is no hiding from God.
So the question, my sisters, is not if God is calling you;
the question is: to what is God calling you (as a woman of color)?

Alright, that was Vignette # 1, and in good Presbyterian fashion,
I have three vignettes (snapshots) for you tonight.
Please, allow me to do at least one thing
that the system taught me!

+++

Vignette #2
“Pay attention”

I love children’s stories, and especially picture books,
so I have quite a collection,
including many multicultural folktales, authors, and themes.
And I love children’s stories because they are beautifully illustrated,
and because they can be very profound,
and they remind me of the teachings of Jesus,
who loved to speak in parables, metaphors, and riddles.

One of those stories is El Gran Capoquero: Un Cuento de la Selva Amazónica.
I own copies of the book both in Spanish and English,
but could only find my Spanish copy as I was packing for this trip.

Here is what Wikipedia says about it:
“The Great Kapok Tree is an American children’s picture book
about rainforest conservation.
It was written and illustrated by Lynne Cherry,
and was originally published by Harcourt Brac Jovanovich in 1990.
The book is dedicated to Chico Mendes,
a Brazilian environmental activist who was murdered in 1988.

“The Great Kapok Tree is set in the Amazon rainforest.
A young man begins to chop down a kapok tree,
following the orders of a “larger man.”
After he has hit the tree a few times with his axe,
he sits down to rest and falls asleep.
While he sleeps, several rainforest animals and a Ya̧nomamö child
whisper into his ear and beg him to spare the tree,
explaining its importance in the fragile ecosystem.
When the man awakes,
he leaves his axe at the foot of the tree and walks away…”

As I was pondering Exodus 3,
the story of The Great Kapok Tree also kept popping into my head.
Now, I know what you’re all thinking,
“Magdalena, you probably failed biology,
and you most certainly fell asleep during the botany lesson.
Exodus 3 is not about a kapok tree; it’s about a burning bush.”

Well, let me assure you, I really do know the difference
between a kapok tree and a burning bush.
The kapok tree is a formidable tropical tree
native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean,
and northern South America,
that grows to 200 feet tall and beyond.
In Spanish it’s called a ceiba.
While the burning bush is, well, a bush,
native to Central China and Korea,
that grows to about 12 to 15 feet tall.
We have lots of burning bushes in Chicago,
and the leaves turn so red in the fall,
that they indeed look like they are on fire.

Now, just to complicate matters a little more, here is a little trivia.
The Hebrew word translated as “bush” is seneh,
entry H5572 in Strong’s Lexicon,
and it simply means “a thorny bush.”
So, it’s neither a kapok tree nor the leafy burning bush we know.
Seneh appears only in two places in the Hebrew Scriptures:
Exodus 3 and Deuteronomy 33:16,
and some scholars believe that, instead of a bush,
it might be a mistaken interpretation of Sinai,
a mountain described by the Bible as being on fire.

Regardless, God speaks to Moses through an unexpected means.
And just like in the story of The Great Kapok Tree,
where unexpected sources—animals and an indigenous child—
whisper to the man and beg him to spare the tree,
explaining its importance in the fragile ecosystem,
in Exodus 3 an unexpected source—a burning bush—
is where the angel of the Lord appears
and tells Moses to go and spare the lives of enslaved people,
explaining their importance in God’s loving eyes.

We read in verses 7 and 8a:
Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians...”

So, my dear sisters, we better start turning aside,
and we better start paying attention to God’s burning bushes.
And that’s the second point I want to make tonight.

Turn aside and listen to your sisters from a different racial group,
because they are God’s burning bushes.
Turn aside and listen to your sisters from a different cultural perspective,
because they are God’s burning bushes.
Turn aside and listen to your sisters from a different generation,
because they are God’s burning bushes.
Turn aside and listen to you sisters with a different sexual orientation,
because they are God’s burning bushes.
Turn aside and listen to you sisters with a different immigration status,
because they are God’s burning bushes.
Turn aside and listen to you sisters from a different faith tradition,
because they are God’s burning bushes.

God is calling us—all of us—to turn aside,
and pay attention to the bushes all around us:
burning with the longing to be welcomed,
burning with the longing to be heard,
burning with the longing to offer insights,
burning with the longing to be accepted,
burning with the longing to be protected,
burning with the longing to be understood.
Turn aside and pay attention to the small, prickly bushes,
that are quietly burning away—and sometimes even being consumed—
because that’s where God’s presence and voice will be found.

And if you do,
your life will become like a great kapok tree,
where fragile, invisible, endangered creatures
can find shelter and life,
and they will flock to you and thank you,
and they will praise your name and God’s name,
using words like the ones from Isaiah 25:4-5:
4For you have been a refuge to the poor,
a refuge to the needy in their distress,
a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat.
When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rainstorm,
5the noise of aliens like heat in a dry place,
you subdued the heat with the shade of clouds;
the song of the ruthless was stilled.

Turn aside and pay attention to the burning bushes!

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Vignette # 3
“You are the bush”

A couple of weeks ago, we hosted a guest choir at my church,
Ravenswood Presbyterian, in Chicago.
We had a glorious service of praise
with The SymphoNY Chorus, from New York City.
After the morning service, my son Miguel and I rode home together,
and we started talking about the performance.
That lead to a conversation about how in my youth
I was part of a local church production
of the musical Jesus Christ Super Star.

So I said to Miguel, “You’ll never guess what part I was.”
Now you need to understand that my son is 13,
and he still thinks that mom is the best and God is cool.
So right away he said, “You were Mary, the mother of Jesus.”
To which I replied, “No, I can’t sing that good, Miguel,
and there were auditions for the show. Try again.”
“You were Mary Magdalene,” he said.
“No, I wasn’t that either. Actually, I had a very small part.”
So Miguel was quiet for a moment, while he thought,
and then he blurted out, “You were a bush!”
And we both started laughing hysterically!

As I read Exodus 3 in preparation for tonight,
I realized that Miguel is right: I am a bush!
I am the bush, and because of my life experience
I often have a difficult and painful truth,
a thorny and prickly truth
burning on my heart and lips
that must be shared with the Moseses of this world:
those who are busy wandering and getting away
or simply enjoying their access to a large flock!

And that is the third and final point I want to make tonight:
I am a bush!
But more importantly: you are a bush!

And so, my dear sisters, the question is,
are we willing to burn alive for God’s truth and purpose,
so that others might see God at work!
Are we willing to risk our security—and even our lives—
so that others might be free!

Just a couple of weeks ago three of God’s burning bushes
were honored by the world.
Let me read to you from an NPR news story dated October 7, 2011:
“The three women who won the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize
were lauded for their courage in standing up
to the violence and brutality of oppressive regimes
in Liberia and Yemen.
The five-member Nobel Committee in Norway announced Friday
that it would split the coveted award three ways,
honoring Africa’s first democratically elected female president,
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf;
Liberian campaigner Leymah Gbowee;
and Yemeni democracy activist Tawakkul Karman.
The committee said Sirleaf, Gbowee and Karman
are being recognized for
‘their nonviolent struggle for the safety of women
and for women’s rights to full participation
in peace-building work.’ ”

Are you willing to burn alive for God’s truth and purpose,
so that others might see God at work!
Are you willing to risk your security—and even your life—
so that others might be free!

Allow me to close with a poem written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand,
who grew up in Puerto Rico.
It is taken from the book César Chávez: ¡Sí, Se Puede! Yes, We Can!,
and the poem is titled, “Who Could Tell?”

“¡Híjole! [Mexican for “wow”]
Who could tell?

Who could tell
that Cesario Estrada Chávez,
the shy American
wearing a checkered shirt,
walking with a cane to ease his back
from the burden of the fields,
could organize so many people
to march for La Causa, The Cause?

Who could tell
that he with a soft pan dulce voice, [Mexican sweet bread voice]
hair the color of mesquite,
and downcast, Aztec eyes,
would have the courage to speak up
for the campesinos [farm workers]
to get better pay,
better housing,
better health?

¡Híjole!
Who could tell?”

May you and I live in such a way,
that someday others might say about us:
¡Híjole! Who could tell?

+++

A blessing from Colossians 1:11-14 (NRSV):
“May you be made strong with all the strength
that comes from [God’s] glorious power,
and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience,
while joyfully giving thanks to [God],
who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.”

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“On Hunger”

The Open Door: 10/16/11
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.

La Puerta Abierta: 10/16/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.

From the Pastor: “On Hunger”
Today is the CROP Hunger Walk. This annual event helps people worldwide and right here in the U.S. to have food for today, while building for a better tomorrow. Here is a quote from the promotional materials: “There is food enough for all, yet hunger persists: 1.02 billion people are hungry worldwide. Simply put, one in seven people doesn’t get enough to eat, and as many as half of them are children.” So let us walk! But beyond that, let us address the underlying issues, which include persistent poverty, war, corrupt governance, ignorance and disease. Simply put, let us walk the way of faith. ~ Rev. Magdalena I. García

De la Pastora: “Sobre el Hambre”
Hoy es la Caminata contra el Hambre de CROP. Este evento anual ayuda a gente del mundo y de EE.UU. a alimentarse mientras construyen un mejor mañana. Como dice la promoción: “Hay suficiente comida, pero el hambre persiste: 1.02 mil millones de personas sufren hambre en el mundo. Es decir, una de cada siete personas no recibe suficiente comida y casi la mitad son niños”. Así que, ¡caminemos! Pero, además, erradiquemos las causas subyacentes, que incluyen la pobreza persistente, la guerra, los gobiernos corruptos, la ignorancia y la enfermedad. En otras palabras, caminemos la vía de la fe. ~ Rev. Magdalena I. García

Desmond Tutu's Letter in Support of 10-A

Information taken from / Información tomada de
pcusa.org/news/2011/10/11/coga-weighs-10-responses-partner-churches/

Spanish translation by / Traducción al español de
Magdalena I. García

October 2011

Full text of the letter sent by Rev. Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus of the Anglican Church in Cape Town, South Africa, to Rev. Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) in response to the ratification of Amendment 10-A, which permits the ordination of non-celibate unmarried persons, including gays and lesbians.

Dear Brother in Christ,

I am writing you with the request that you share these thoughts with my brothers and sisters in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.):

It is incumbent upon all of God’s children to speak out against injustice. It is sometimes equally important to speak in solidarity when justice has been done. For that reason I am writing to affirm my belief that in making room in your constitution for gay and lesbian Christians to be ordained as church leaders, you have accomplished an act of justice.

I realize that among your ecumenical partners, some voices are claiming that you have done the wrong thing, and I know that you rightly value your relationship with Christians in other parts of the world. Sadly, it is not always popular to do justice, but it is always right. People will say that the ones you are now willing to ordain are sinners. I have come to believe, through the reality shared with me by my scientist and medical friends, and confirmed to me by many who are gay, that being gay is not a choice. Like skin color or left-handedness, sexual orientation is just another feature of our diversity as a human family. How wonderful that God has made us with so much diversity, yet all in God’s image! Salvation means being called out of our narrow bonds into a broad place of welcome to all.

You are undoubtedly aware that in some countries the church has been complicit in the legal persecution of lesbians and gays. Individuals are being arrested and jailed simply because they are different in one respect from the majority. By making it possible for those in same-gender relationships to be ordained as pastors, preachers, elders, and deacons, you are being a witness to your ecumenical partners that you believe in the wideness of God’s merciful love.

For freedom Christ has set us free. In Christ we are not bound by old, narrow prejudice, but free to embrace the full humanity of our brothers and sisters in all our glorious differences. May God bless you as you live into this reality, and may you know that there are many Christians in the world who continue to stand by your side.

God bless you.

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu (Cape Town, South Africa)

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Carta de Desmond Tutu Apoya la Enmienda 10-A

Octubre 2011

Texto completo de la carta enviada por el Rev. Desmond Tutu, arzobispo emérito de la Iglesia Anglicana en Ciudad del Cabo, Sudáfrica, al Rev. Gradye Parsons, Secretario Permanente de la Iglesia Presbiteriana (E.U.A.) en respuesta a la ratificación de la Enmienda 10-A, que permite la ordenación de personas solteras que no sean célibes, incluyendo gays y lesbianas.

Querido Hermano en Cristo,

Le escribo con el pedido de que comparta estos pensamientos con mis hermanos y hermanas en la Iglesia Presbiteriana (E.U.A.):

Le incumbe a todos los hijos e hijas de Dios pronunciarse en contra de la injusticia. A veces es igualmente importante hablar en solidaridad cuando se ha hecho justicia. Por esa razón les escribo para afirmar mi creencia de que al hacer espacio en su constitución para que los cristianos gays y lesbianas sean ordenados/as como líderes de la iglesia ustedes han llevado a cabo un acto de justicia.

Estoy consciente de que entre sus socios ecuménicos, algunas voces alegan que ustedes han cometido un error, y yo sé que ustedes con razón valoran su relación con cristianos en otras partes del mundo. Tristemente, no siempre resulta popular el actuar con justicia, pero siempre es correcto hacerlo. La gente dirá que las personas que ustedes ahora están dispuestas a ordenar son pecadoras. Yo he llegado a creer, por medio de la realidad compartida por mis amigos científicos y médicos, y confirmada por muchas personas homosexuales, que el ser gay no es una elección. Al igual que el color de la piel o el ser zurdo, la orientación sexual es simplemente otro rasgo de nuestra diversidad como familia humana. ¡Qué maravilloso que Dios nos ha creado con tanta diversidad y, sin embargo, a su imagen! La salvación significa que somos llamados/as de nuestros vínculos estrechos a la amplitud de un lugar de bienvenida para todos/as.

Indudablemente ustedes están conscientes de que en algunos países la iglesia ha sido cómplice en la persecusión legal de lesbianas y gays. Se está arrestando y encarcelando a individuos simplemente porque son diferentes de la mayoría en un aspecto. Al hacer posible que las personas que tienen una relación con alguien de su mismo género sean ordenadas como pastores/as, predicadores/as, ancianos/as y diáconos/diaconisas, están dando testimonio a sus socios ecuménicos de que ustedes creen en la amplitud del amor misericordioso de Dios.

Para libertad fue que Cristo nos hizo libres. En Cristo no estamos amarrados por la estrechez de antiguos prejuicios, sino libres para abrazar totalmente la humanidad de nuestros hermanos y hermanas en todas nuestras gloriosas diferencias. Qué Dios les bendiga al comenzar a vivir de acuerdo a esta nueva realidad, y sepan que hay muchos cristianos en el mundo que continúan respaldándoles.

Dios les bendiga.

Arzobispo Emérito Desmond Tutu (Ciudad del Cabo, Sudáfrica)

“On Priorities”

The Open Door: 10/9/11
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.

La Puerta Abierta: 10/9/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.

From the Pastor: “On Priorities”
This past week, two great U.S. leaders died on the same day (October 5): Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc., and the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, an Alabama native who was a key leader of the Civil Rights Movement. The media was quick to provide front-page coverage of the passing of the first, but a little slower in reporting the death of the latter. What does that say about our values and priorities as a country? As Christians, I hope and pray that we remember that technology can enhance our lives, but only freedom brings dignity to human beings. ~ Rev. Magdalena I. García

De la Pastora: “Sobre las Prioridades”
Esta semana pasada dos grandes líderes de EE.UU. fallecieron el mismo día (5 de octubre): Steve Jobs, cofundador de Apple Inc., y el Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, nativo de Alabama que fue líder clave del Movimiento de los Derechos Civiles. Los medios rápidamente dieron las primeras planas al anuncio de la muerte del primero, pero fueron un poco más lentos en reportar el fallecimiento del segundo. ¿Qué dice eso sobre nuestros valores y prioridades como país? Como cristianos, espero y oro porque recordemos que la tecnología puede mejorar nuestras vidas, pero sólo la libertad ofrece dignidad a los seres humanos.
~ Rev. Magdalena I. García

“On Table Sharing”

The Open Door: 10/02/11
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.

La Puerta Abierta: 10/02/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.

From the Pastor: “On Table Sharing”
Today’s is World Communion Sunday, a day when all Christians around the world celebrate the Lord’s Supper as a hopeful sign of our unity in Christ in the midst of a fractured world. But what about tomorrow? How will we eat and drink? The Gospels show us how every meal was a sacramental act for Jesus, and what made it sacred was thanking God for the bread and sharing the table with everyone, without exceptions. May we do no less than our Master, and turn every meal into a sacramental act on this day and every day.
~ Rev. Magdalena I. García

De la Pastora: “Sobre Compartir la Mesa”
Hoy es el Domingo de Comunión Mundial, un día en que los cristianos de todo el mundo celebran la Cena del Señor como señal esperanzada de nuestra unidad en Cristo en medio de un mundo fragmentado. ¿Y qué sucederá mañana? ¿Cómo comeremos y beberemos? Los Evangelios nos muestran que cada comida era un acto sacramental para Jesús, y lo que hacía la cena sagrada era el expresar gratitud a Dios por el pan y compartir la mesa con todos y todas, sin excepciones. Qué Dios nos conceda no hacer menos que nuestro Maestro para que podamos convertir cada cena en un acto sacramental el día de hoy y cada día.
~ Rev. Magdalena I. García