"Blessed to Give" by Raymund Ocampo (LP on Study Leave)

Friends,

To help me devote my time on study leave to working on a manuscript, Raymund stepped forward to compose this week’s Beacon Lite reflection. That’s a double blessing. His thoughts not only let us know more about him, but also inspire us with a view of our ministries through his eyes.

Happy Easter!

LP

My parents and I moved to the US when I was three years old. Only recently did I realize how hard my parents' life must have been when we moved. They came with hardly any money, no credit, no car, no anything. Without credit; a car, a house, and any major purchase was out of reach. All we had when we came was each other and a couple of bags and boxes of clothes and general stuff.

Fortunately, two of my aunts and my grandparents were in the States already. They helped with everything. They helped take care of my brothers and me when my parents had to work, helped cook dinner with us, and helped find us a home. I remember vividly my grandfather handing my dad a check with the first mortgage payment on our first house. They also came with presents that first Christmas and helped to take care of my parents through the birth of my two younger brothers. They did so much more. Actually, they provided for us a normal life in an abnormal environment.

As I think about what my aunts and grandparents did for my family those early years, I can’t help but see a resemblance to the things we do here at MWPC. We provide those who have fallen on hard times with food, a helping hand with kids, presents at Christmas, and more. But, we provide more than tangible goods. All the things we do can help a family feel welcomed, loved, and thankful. That backpack from our backpack drive may have cost $20, but to a child and family it may represent an education and an opportunity to learn and grow.

The gifts that my aunts and grandparents gave during those early years resonate with me to this day because they helped to form and shape who I am. The gifts and generosity we share through the food pantry and other ministries may form and shape those who receive them; but here’s the surprising part of the good news. The gifts we give also form and shape us.

My family gave thanks for the gifts they received those early years. Those who receive gifts and love from this church may feel thankful for those blessings. But, those who give are thankful for the ability to give. As a congregation we have realized our many blessings and give our time and love in Jesus’ name to those who need it most. We care for church members and strangers alike. We live Christ’s love for us all by caring for those in need. As we walk together through Easter, let us remember the gifts we have received and the gifts we feel blessed to give.

Happy Easter!

Raymund

Church website

Accountability for Our Actions

When I was young a comedian named Flip Wilson became famous with routines that included the declaration, “The Devil made me do it!” Wilson avoided personal responsibility by claiming that his sins resulted not from his personal mistakes or poor judgment but from an evil force that took control of him. Some compare that with Paul’s confession, “I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do” (Romans 7:19). Paul, however, does not offer an excuse. His confession leads to the question, “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24) and the response, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25). When we confess our sins, we claim accountability for the mistakes we have made. We honestly admit that we did something wrong and turn to the grace and forgiveness of God for a new beginning.

            No religious tradition lacks skeletons in its closet. Our tradition often has denied and rejected the grace and will of God. Awareness of that calls for humility and honest confession of our sins. I say that to preface my admission that the recent report from the Roman Catholic Church that attempts to provide a definitive response to the priest sexual abuse crisis deeply saddens me. The report attributes the abuse of minors by those under holy orders to poor preparation, poor monitoring, and the sexual turmoil of the 1960s and 1970s. That sounds a great deal like, “The devil made me do it.” The report even lowers the age of a minor to children under 10 years old from the American Psychiatric Association’s definition of children under 13 years old as minors. Rather than pick nits and ignore the ways the hierarchy chose to protect its priests rather than its children, why not honestly confess: “We’re sorry. Our priests and bishops made poor decisions and took actions that harmed innocent children”? Why not honestly confess what went wrong and, like Paul, appeal to God for rescue.

            I live in a glass house and cannot throw stones. I sin daily. I make poor decisions and take actions contrary to the way and will of God. Outside influences affect me, but my way forward comes not through attributing my sins to external forces but through honest confession. Honest confession makes room for repentance and reception of God’s forgiveness. I have no desire to single out the Roman Catholic hierarchy. Why can’t Bill Clinton confess that he sinned instead of hiding behind technicalities and professing, “I did not have sex with that woman”? Why can’t Newt Gingrich confess that he sinned instead of claiming that he committed adultery because of his love of this country? Why can’t we all accept accountability for our actions and confess our sins? Without honest confession, how can we expect to repent, receive the forgiveness God graciously offers, and begin anew?

            Explicitly in our traditional worship services and implicitly in our ConnXions and Morning Glory services, we confess our sins. We do not blame others or offer excuses. We confess that we sin. That is not the most popular part of our worship. Many people want to minimize confession of sin. Yet, minimizing our complicit contributions to the brokenness of the world distances us from the wholeness God offers. May we all confess our sins – not to bend beneath the weight of our wrongdoings, but to receive and enter the wholeness to which God calls us.

Happy Easter!

LP

During our 11 a.m. service this Sunday, the members of our Confirmation Class will confirm their baptisms, profess their faith, and become active members of our congregation. By baptism they became members of the church of Jesus Christ. Through confirmation they accept the claim God made on them in baptism and declare that they choose to live into their baptism for the rest of their lives. Their actions challenge all of us to remember and renew our baptismal covenant this weekend.

I consider baptism countercultural. Through baptism we declare allegiance to a presence and power far beyond and different than cultural and societal norms.

In baptism we follow one who commanded, “Strive first for the kingdom of God and God’s righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). In a world that extols the corner office, largest house, most toys, and most enviable salary, we emphasize on our relationship with God and the relationships into which God draws us. The baptized do not consider a nice office, a good salary, a large house, or creature comforts evil; but neither do we deem them the highest good. That affects (or should) both whom we admire and what we aspire to become. We value becoming a better person over becoming better off.

In baptism we accept as valid the judgment, “Just as you did it to one of the least of these … you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). Some seem to consider people in need lazy and contemptible. Others deem those who lack dependents on the largess of those who have. The baptized consider us all “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) and long for everyone to have life’s basic needs. Yes, scoundrels sometimes take advantage of the baptized. Yet, we believe that “one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” and that we “will be enriched in every way for great generosity” (2 Corinthians 9:6, 11). The baptized reach out not to express gratitude to God.

In baptism we accept the claim: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:20). In a world that exalts those who claim to be the greatest and willingly stand alone, we respect those who excel by helping others reach their potential as well. In a society that admires those who take care of “number one” and celebrates those who seek first and foremost the benefit of their group, we seek the greater good and rejoice when dividing walls tumble to make new connections possible.

In baptism we promise to “love the Lord [our] God with all [our] heart … soul … and mind” and to “love [our] neighbor as [ourselves]” (Matthew 22:38, 40). The baptized know that no one is self-made. Humbled by our dependence on God and others and aware that our lives belong to God, we seek to live with courageous gratitude. Courageous gratitude seldom makes the headlines and probably will not get us elected, but it leads to life abundant and eternal. As we claim and celebrate that this weekend, may we pray that our confirmands have seen and will continue to see some of that in us, just as we long to see it in them.

Grace and Peace,

             LP

Who are Christians?

Most of us can respond relatively coherently when someone asks what Christians do. We worship God, respond to Jesus’ call to service, welcome strangers, educate our children, and provide opportunities for youth and adults to grow in faith. We attempt to keep our baptismal promise to obey Jesus’ Word and show his love. We know something about what we do, but when someone asks who we are, we typically stumble and stammer.

Who are we? Some insist that we should answer that question in a single sentence. I consider few essentials of life and faith that easy to describe. Here is my response to the question, “Who are Christians?” I’d enjoy hearing yours.

We are the baptized. God has claimed us and made us members of the Body of Christ by water and the Spirit. We respond by turning from evil, turning to God, and professing and following Jesus as Lord.

We are called. We embrace the mystery expressed in Jesus’ words: “You did not choose me but I chose you” (John 15:16). Something and/or someone drew us to our journey in faith. We make decisions about how to follow, but at the heart of it all we feel led and guided: called. Sometimes we have little more than our call. We lack confidence and clarity; yet, cling to the conviction that God calls us to the path we travel.

We are followers of Jesus. We strive to obey the commandment: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35), and to serve Jesus who said, “Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). We do not claim always to understand Jesus and we certainly do not declare that we have a particular claim on him. As best we can, we follow him.

We are people shaped by hope. No matter who scoffs, we believe that light conquers darkness and life ultimately triumphs over death. We always hope or want to hope because we believe that life is precious, that God always remains with us, and that reaching for what we cannot yet touch makes us more alive.

We are a community. Although we have distinct personalities, identities, talents, and abilities, we believe that common good matters more than personal gain. We believe that God exists in community, which we describe as the mystery of the Trinity, and that we glimpse at God, whom no one can know, as we live in community.

We are grateful people, who seek to live our thanksgiving with courage every day. We experience heartache, defeat, and disappointment; but in and around those realities we can see and count blessings. We know that the realities that most shape our lives come to us as gifts. Yes, it takes effort to open and express accountability for those gifts; yet, the best of life remains just that: a gift.

That, for me, is the heart of who we are. All we do flows from our God-granted identity. Thank you for helping me to strive to live with courageous gratitude. I look forward to hearing other responses to the basic question. “Who are we?”

Grace and Peace,

LP

Church website

Baptism is countercultural

During our 11 a.m. service this Sunday, the members of our Confirmation Class will confirm their baptisms, profess their faith, and become active members of our congregation. By baptism they became members of the church of Jesus Christ. Through confirmation they accept the claim God made on them in baptism and declare that they choose to live into their baptism for the rest of their lives. Their actions challenge all of us to remember and renew our baptismal covenant this weekend.

I consider baptism countercultural. Through baptism we declare allegiance to a presence and power far beyond and different than cultural and societal norms.

In baptism we follow one who commanded, “Strive first for the kingdom of God and God’s righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). In a world that extols the corner office, largest house, most toys, and most enviable salary, we emphasize on our relationship with God and the relationships into which God draws us. The baptized do not consider a nice office, a good salary, a large house, or creature comforts evil; but neither do we deem them the highest good. That affects (or should) both whom we admire and what we aspire to become. We value becoming a better person over becoming better off.

In baptism we accept as valid the judgment, “Just as you did it to one of the least of these … you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). Some seem to consider people in need lazy and contemptible. Others deem those who lack dependents on the largess of those who have. The baptized consider us all “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) and long for everyone to have life’s basic needs. Yes, scoundrels sometimes take advantage of the baptized. Yet, we believe that “one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” and that we “will be enriched in every way for great generosity” (2 Corinthians 9:6, 11). The baptized reach out to express gratitude to God.

In baptism we accept the claim: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:20). In a world that exalts those who claim to be the greatest and willingly stand alone, we respect those who excel by helping others reach their potential as well. In a society that admires those who take care of “number one” and celebrates those who seek first and foremost the benefit of their group, we seek the greater good and rejoice when dividing walls tumble to make new connections possible.

In baptism we promise to “love the Lord [our] God with all [our] heart … soul … and mind” and to “love [our] neighbor as [ourselves]” (Matthew 22:38, 40). The baptized know that no one is self-made. Humbled by our dependence on God and others and aware that our lives belong to God, we seek to live with courageous gratitude. Courageous gratitude seldom makes the headlines and probably will not get us elected, but it leads to life abundant and eternal. As we claim and celebrate that this weekend, may we pray that our confirmands have seen and will continue to see some of that in us, just as we long to see it in them.

Grace and Peace,

LP

Church website