La Iglesia, Mayordoma de la Paz

La Iglesia, Mayordoma de la Paz

Celebrando el 2do domingo de Adviento, el domingo de la paz, reflexioné con la congregación de la 3ra Iglesia Presbiteriana en Aguadilla sobre como el profético en Isaías 11:1-10 le provee una imagen para la iglesia sobre esa paz que se puede añorar, una paz que la iglesia está llamada a ser gestora para y con el mundo. También tomando alguna inspiración de II Corintios 9:6-15, acompañé en esa oportunidad a esta congregación al cierre de su campaña de mayordomía. La Iglesia es llamada a ser mayordoma de paz.

Of the City, By the City, For the City

Of the City, By the City, For the City

“Presence and witness in urban settings must be of the city, by the city, and for the city.” I share with you this “story in progress” from the Plainfields as a way to narrate the complexity (and outright difficulty) of ministry in urban contexts. Not only does every interested party has its own understanding of what the city is and what kind of Christian presence is required, but it sometimes feels that many congregational leaders in cities (or interested in doing urban mission) think that being aware of demographic data, socioeconomic situations, and development potential is enough to develop a “strategy” for the city.

Would you be a Neighbor? (video link)

Would you be a Neighbor? (video link)

When preaching on the story commonly known as "The Good Samaritan” we often miss that this parable is in response to an intense conversation between Jesus and an expert in religious law. I had the opportunity to preach this sermon during the opening worship service of the 2019 Big Tent (video link), the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s biennial learning and fellowship gathering. I preached it originally in, both, Spanish and English.

El Regreso

Regresaré algún día

al lugar que vió nacer

mi cuerpo, mis pasiones, mis anhelos mi ahínco,

mi compromiso, mi esperanza.

Regresaré algún día

a un lugar que me enseñó

lo que es ser íntegralmente

lo que es pertenecer sin condición

Regresaré algún día

a un lugar que se sabe país

a pesar de la dura carga del imperio

a pesar de la pesadilla colonial

Regresaré algún día

a un país que es nuevo

cuya dignidad está predicada

y su valía empeñada

en la grande y complicada historia

de la tradición e identidad puertorriqueña

Unexpected Acts: Called to Shop at the Local Bodega

Unexpected Acts: Called to Shop at the Local Bodega

Rules and regulations. Social expectations and theological interpretations. For many these are all but set in stone. Allowing ourselves to engage with another that is different to us can (and should) change to shifting idiosyncrasies and keeping biases in check. And if more deeply, engaging the other can change one life and witness all together.

I preached this sermon to the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church in Albany, NY.