Vamos a Coban! To talk about God’s Call.

This past weekend, the ILAG had a Pastor’s Conference over in Coban in order to have two days of theology/ bible classes for the leaders. 9 people were able to attend… 3 women and 6 men. Padre Horacio went around the room on Saturday morning saying the qualifications of each (what each one of us were bringing with us) and his hope for all of us. The two newest members were Francisco and Selso… from the parishes in Santa Elena 20 de Octubre and Aurora 8 de Octubre… and Padre Horacio hopes that both can continue to study and be Diaconal leaders if not more in their communities. Selso was recently elected President of the parish in Aurora 8 de Octubre when they realized that while Pantaleon has leadership skills he does not feel called to study theology and lead the congregation spiritually. About me, Padre Horacio said that I have more preparation in theology than he himself has. (I lack experience, especially here in Guatemala, but my preparation is appreciated and respected.) Padre Jose Antonio has an interesting history; he was not the immediate leader of La Esmerelda’s parish but was the one who was diligent in his studies and was the first to be ordained; he is a quiet man who is well respected when he speaks. He also spoke about Esther, Diego and Marcelina, all three of which live in the City… that they had received years of classes. He would like to ordain Marcelina.

We began with a service and teaching sermon lead by Padre Horacio and filled with good theology, and those of you who know me know that theology is important to me. Our texts were Exodus 24:4-8; 1 Corinthians 11:26-30, Psalm 51 and Matthew 26:17-30… texts about Communion… Padre Horacio talked about that Communion is a sacrament not a sacrifice that we are performing, that Christ’s death was once, unique for all time and for all, he discussed how Christ meant it when he said “This is my body”… and then he talked about why it is important that we receive communion and why saying that people we are living together but not officially married is not a reason not to Commune. For one, why not get married… for another reason, take, eat and drink because Communion is for the forgiveness of sins. He compared it to being hungry for lunch… out of need… the same way with Communion… we are hungry and thirsty for the justice and mercy of God. It was exciting to hear him teach this because I have been concerned about why many of the members do not Commune… I understand if they are not baptized but did not understand why if they were in a common law relationship… it is old Catholic piety… and Padre Horacio has slowly tried to break down the barriers around the table!

The majority of the class was about Calling. We split into two groups to study the verse 1 Corinthians 4:1 and then later split up again to study Romans 1:1-7. All participated, Marcelina presented the finding of her group to the class and Padre Jose Antonio presented my group’s finding. Padre Horacio stated that all those who were here at this meeting (and others such as Ricardo) have been set apart, called by God to preach and teach the Gospel.

This weekend was beneficial for me on several points. Padre Horacio seems to know how to help his leaders and through them the parishes grow and develop both as a church and socially. In my time here he has directly addressed the role of women, pushing the status quo that women are below men, and elevating women as important not only in their homes but in the church. He does this in his sermons, preaching about how men should walk behind their wives so that they can pick them up should they fall… in his teaching, that men should marry their spouses, yes in order in part to give security to the woman and family, but also that not being married is not a reason to not commune... he also does this by placing women in leadership positions. Esther is ordained and has been, among her other roles, the person responsible for the worship life of the parish in El Mirador for over a year now… and with her there, and myself as well these last 6 months, and with the outreach that Padre Horacio does… the church is growing.

The Holy Spirit is loose in this church, the ILAG… and it has been a privilege to see the boundaries explode. Yes there are areas were growth still needs to happen… a female pastor would not be accepted in the rural areas, they are still very conservative and very Catholic… but in the City they are ready… it is exciting to see. Padre Horacio before was more strict on issues of women and has become more open over the years with these examples concerning women… but time and the Gospel changes people as well as churches. Work with women is just one example of how this church is stretching it members and its leaders… but as a women this is one issue that I notice. One of the keys however is that others allow for people to change and grow as well… and support them as they move out and forward. Please keep the ILAG, its leaders, and its members in your prayers.

Resurrection

I witnessed a resurrection last week. El Mirador is one of our parishes in the City. It is located in Boca del Monte... in a poor community of those who were internally displaced by the war. Many of the homes have walls of sheet metal and sit on the edge of the ravine... some have enough resources for cement block homes. We worship in an old school room kiddy corner from the unfinished church building with worn benches that were once blue and a felt banner on the wall reminding us that once their was a partnership with a parish in the ELCA. Since I have started worshipping there, 3 adults besides me and Esther have attended the services. Many have told Padre Horacio that this church is dead... that we should close the doors, sell the land, let the dead be dead.

Well... people have started to come... at first it was children off the street who were curious about what was happening... and now an entire family is preparing to be baptized. These new members attend the weekly church meeting and they have brought hope and new life with them. One man said that action is the word needed too finish the church so that more can attend... the worn wood benches are full now some Sundays... and he and his son can keep with the labor needed to put in a floor and finish the entrance and roof.

Resurrection of the Dead... come out of your tomb Lazarus! There is hope!

Sermon 30 of January

1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Matthew 5:1-12

Que se imaginan ustedes cuando piensan en un rey? Se imaginan coronas de oro, un gran palacio, mucha comida, mucho poder, sirvientes, y un gran ejercito? Yo imagino que mucha gente en el mundo hoy en día piensa del presidente de Estados Unidos como una persona de mucho dinero con un gran ejercito. El actúa en nombre de libertad con su ejercito aunque sea o no sea correcto y confronta a los que el piensa no comparten sus ideas. El es un ejemplo de un líder que es conocido por todo el mundo por su influencia y poder aunque ustedes estén de acuerdo con el o no, el y otros lideres como el son ejemplos de cómo el mundo piensa que el poder, influencia y liderazgo son.

Pero como escuchamos en la segunda lectura de la primera carta del apóstol san pablo a los corintios en el versículo 27: Pero Dios escogió lo insensato del mundo para avergonzar a los sabios y escogió lo débil del mundo para avergonzar a los poderosos. También escogió Dios lo mas bajo y despreciado y lo que no es nada…

Y esto es exactamente lo que Dios hizo al darnos a su hijo Jesucristo. El había prometido a su pueblo un Mesías que salvaría al mundo y su pueblo esperaba a un rey como lo que nosotros imaginamos. Alguien con un gran ejercito, alguien con mucho dinero, alguien con mucho respeto. Pero nuestro rey, Jesucristo, nuestro regalo de Dios y nuestra salvación nació en un humilde establo en Belén. El no parecía poderoso o todopoderoso. El dependió de su madre por comida, dependió del establo y los animales en el para conservar el calor en el frío de la noche. A los ojos del mundo El no parecía como un rey, El no parecía como el que traería salvación al mundo. A los ojos del mundo pareció un error que Dios pondría toda nuestra esperanza en alguien tan débil y frágil como en un bebe.

Porque Dios escogió lo insensato del mundo para avergonzar a los sabios y escogió lo débil del mundo para avergonzar a los poderosos. También escogió Dios lo mas bajo y despreciado y lo que no es nada…y ese bebe si creció para ser rey. Un rey que su corona fue una corona de espinas, un rey que no tuvo un ejercito para vengar todo lo que su pueblo había sufrido. Este rey, nuestro rey Jesucristo salvo a su pueblo, nosotros; haciendo algo que pareció un error para todo el mundo. El fue crucificado en la cruz por nosotros, por ustedes y en su muerte El tomo todos nuestros pecados y nos dio nueva vida a través de su muerte y resurrección.

Y tal vez la decisión mas errónea de todas fue escogerlos a ustedes para ser sus hijos porque el sabe que ustedes son pecadores. Nosotros escogemos dinero, posesiones materiales, poder, escogemos todas estas cosas antes que escoger a Dios. Dios sabía todo esto, El conoce a cada uno de ustedes todas las cosas buenas y todas las cosas malas y conociendo todo esto El aun los ama. El los ama tanto que El mando a su preciado hijo a morir por todos nosotros. Pero gracias a El ustedes están unidos a Cristo Jesús a quien Dios ha hecho nuestra sabiduría es decir nuestra justificación, santificación y redención para que como esta escrito si alguien ha de glorificarse a si mismo que se glorifique en el señor.

Como pecadores perdonados nosotros continuamos viviendo nuestra vida, continuamos teniendo familia y trabajo. Cristo vino para ser nuestro rey no para que nosotros dejemos de vivir nuestras vidas, no para que nuestra vida sea mas fácil, por ejemplo, sin sufrimiento o dolor, pero como esperamos para que el venga de nuevo, nosotros podemos amar a nuestros vecinos y todo aquel que Dios ponga en nuestra vida. Y lo que escuchamos en el evangelio de San Mateo es aprender como preocuparnos por nuestros vecinos. La fe que nosotros tenemos en Cristo es un regalo de Dios, el trabajo del Espíritu Santo a través de nuestro bautismo. Y Dios desea que cada uno de nosotros seamos bautizados y recibamos estas promesas como las nuestras.

Para los ojos del mundo lo que el evangelio nos dice hoy, preocuparnos por nuestros semejantes, puede parecer tonto, pero para nosotros los cristianos no. Como cristianos bautizados que somos, nuestro llamado a través del regalo de fe que se nos ha dado es de dar frutos, lo que significa florecer a través de la relación que tenemos con nuestros semejantes. Lo que nosotros escuchamos el día de hoy en el evangelio es la palabra de Dios para nosotros, el primer sermón de Jesús. Y el empezó así: dichosos los pobres en espíritu porque el reino de los cielos les pertenece. Esto no es acerca de pobreza material, esto es acerca de nuestros corazones, porque aun un hombre rico o un hombre pobre pueden ser igualmente pobres en espíritu. Dios no desea que nosotros tengamos nuestra confianza en las cosas que no duraran para siempre y que las hagamos nuestros dioses, lo que Dios desea es que nosotros pongamos nuestra confianza en nuestro corazón y solamente en Dios. Y porque a nosotros se nos ha dado el regalo de fe nosotros podemos y pondremos nuestra confianza en Dios.

Dichosos los que lloran porque serán consolados. Todos nosotros queremos tener felicidad y alegría en nuestra vida, nosotros no queremos tener hambre ni problemas en nuestra vida. El mundo llama a esos que no tienen hambre ni problemas los benditos por Dios, pero en realidad todos sufrimos y el sufrimiento no tiene nada que ver en que seamos benditos por Dios o no. Pero los cristianos pueden confiar que aunque sufran ellos tienen la promesa que ellos serán consolados, que ellos tienen la promesa de la vida eterna.

Bienaventuranzas…

En cada una de estas bienaventuranzas, nosotros como cristianos se nos da esperanza y amor para vivir y convivir con nuestros vecinos. Por ejemplo, si un vecino tiene necesidad de comida, vestido, o refugio nosotros tendremos la capacidad de ver la necesidad y darles el apoyo aunque sea solamente con nuestra presencia. Y no solamente es darles cosas materiales. Otro ejemplo es, aunque alguien en nuestra vida no nos demuestra respeto por algún desacuerdo, nosotros tenemos que ceder y ser pacientes en lugar de confrontar y crear un problema mayor.

Todo lo bueno que nosotros hacemos en nuestra vida es porque Dios se esta manifestando por medio de nosotros. Como San Pablo dijo: Nosotros tenemos mucho porque glorificarnos. Así que alégrense y regocigence porque ustedes han sido ricamente benditos porque Dios los amo tanto que mando a su hijo unigénito como su rey, su señor para salvarlos. Y a través de su salvación ustedes son libres para amar y preocuparse por sus semejantes así como su fe da frutos en su vida.

Horacio helped with the Spanish.

Roles…

I have found myself in many roles already during the past six months. In seminary we are taught about being in the role of preacher, pastor, pastoral councilor, teacher and us as individual and how many will see us as the role we are in their lives. Here I represent the ELCA, Luther Seminary and the United States as a sister in Christ. I do not have the official title of missionary but at times that is who I am to the people I meet both in the communities and from the States. At times I am a ligament, connecting two cultures who are members of the body of Christ helping each one see the other by interpreting culture in both directions or simply listening or knowing which questions to ask and when to ask them. The ELCA is using a model of Mission based on accompaniment. In the story of the Emmaus Road Jesus walked beside the two men as they headed away from Jerusalem and was revealed in the breaking of the bread. Through this Graduate Preaching Fellowship, I have been able to walk beside the ILAG and her members but also alongside those who come to see and know from the States. Right now this is my vocation. It becomes ministry when we share the word with one another.

My First Verbal Translation

Horacio Darynel and I also both work on the many translating needs that this church has. We translate letters to and from the States as well as the pastoral letters that Padre Horacio writes. Since I returned after Christmas in the States this month, I also had the opportunity to translate a sermon for a delegation from Iowa while it was being given. This experience was a new challenge for me, and while I was nervous I did well for my first try. I have learned the importance of integrity while translating. I might not always agree with what is being said or written but must be faithful to the speaker’s or writer’s intent. That also means that if something will translate sarcastically or poorly that I need to inform the one for whom I am translating. With language comes culture and thought patterns, learning a language helps learning the culture and in turn aids in preaching.

The Language of my Heart

I visited the States over Christmas and for Convocation at Luther Seminary. While in the States and worshipping in my own language, I was in tears at times. To hear the benediction, the absolution, and the words given and shed for you in my own language was powerful. It helped me realize two things. Here in Guatemala, in a country with 23 languages, it is important to worship in part in the language of the people. Especially in communities where the women do not know Spanish… to deliver the gospel in K’iche’ or Q’eqchi’ or Mam is remarkable. The other realization I had is that just like when we, in the States, had to begin worshipping in English rather than in our immigrant languages so that the next generation would understand the worship, now it is important that we provide opportunities to those who do not speak English to worship in their native tongues.

Learning about Preaching… and Vocation

While here in Guatemala since I am here with a Graduate PREACHING Fellowship, I am learning about preaching… the only way you can… to dive in and love people and to confess Christ to and with them right in the midst of their lives and your own. During these last months, I have once again learned the importance of being open to the unexpected, the unplanned, and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We have been freed by Christ to live out our vocations, trusting that God will use us in our daily lives and work. As I exercise my freedom as a daughter of God, I have been blessed here in Guatemala with work that I love, work that I freely and joyfully give myself to, work that I hope I can continue in my future.