Sermon: Late Registration/ Registro Tardio

Late Registration/ Registro Tardío

So there is this camp I used to attend back in the United States called Pinecrest. It has been 13 years since my first summer and I still remember the first class I had with Pastor Mack Smith. Now Pastor Mack used to call himself Luthercostal as he served in a Lutheran context and practiced Lutheran theology however very much influenced in his preaching and beliefs by the Pentecostal tradition as well. If this man was not preaching, he was sleeping. The class he taught was facts about the bible and introduced us to an abundance of knowledge I swore that I never heard before.

Then there was this one class in the middle of the week and I remember Pastor Mack asking the group, “What is the difference between believing and faith?” The entire classroom was stumped. We all looked around at each other and tried our best at tackling this complex question. Finally after a few minutes he interrupted our attempts and said this. “To believe is to be in school. To have faith is to have graduated.” Let me repeat that. . . .”To believe is to be in school. To have faith is to have graduated.” It was so quiet in the room you could almost hear all of our minds explode.

Let me explain this statement a little better. What does it take for one to believe? Well, we have Thomas as a great example. To believe reflects the need for proof whether that is through any of your senses. Often times belief needs to be explained and properly reviewed. Thomas only believed when he witnessed the resurrected Christ. But even with his eyes , Thomas was not sold on the Savior. No. He asked to feel the hands of Jesus where the nails were placed. He asked to feel the side of Jesus where he was pierced. Thomas was relying on his own abilities to determine whether or not Jesus really did come back from the dead. Honestly we shouldn’t shame Thomas for that either. In reality that is part of how we function, especially today. We find comfort in things being reviewed and proven. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing either. Back in the U.S. there is literally a daily war against facts. Part of having power is using it responsibly however power continues to be abused in order to manipulate truth. I get it Thomas.

The thing is we are reflecting on earthly things and maybe that is where Thomas got confused. Maybe Thomas did not realize that what he was experience is greater than what we typically experience on earth. This is where faith comes in. With faith, there is not a need to fact check things word for word. Faith does not require us to see things face to face, to request to touch, smell, or ingest something just to verify its truth. Faith looks like the message in 1 Peter saying, “ Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” Faith looks like the apostles acting by the Holy Spirit to share the glory of God so that even the foreigner will become a disciple. Faith looks like receiving the message, recognizing the glory, love, and joy found in these words and moving forward. I am not even going to use the other disciples as examples because when the Mary and the other women came from the tomb and shared the good news of the resurrection of Christ, not a soul listened. Faith doesn’t have a gender.

If we haven’t gotten the message so far then let me repeat this for the room. We are taught what to believe, but faith is what we personally develop. Believing is like being dependent on someone or something else to validate us. Having faith is a reflection of the independent relationship we have with a Triune God.

       I challenge all of us to be cautious designating what we believe and what we have faith in. Are we putting our faith in people and our belief in God rather than our belief in the world and faith in the divine? Because I believe in the work of Jesus of Nazareth but my faith is in the resurrected Christ who overcame death and the grave. Do you understand what I am saying? If there is something you can reflect on this Easter, it is the power that is God who proves to us time and time again that SHE is greater than all we have already experienced on this earth and SHE will continue to amaze us. It is very easy to forget what our God has done for us. It is even easier to mistake what is in front of us to be better than what is yet to come. But that cross behind me, let that be a reminder of why you wake up every single morning and are taken care of even when you have nothing. That cross is powerful my friends and it is when we accept the cross for what it truly is do we finally graduate from belief and into faith. Amen.

#ReclaimMissionary

"Stations of the Cross" The Mix Tape

Maybe it’s just me but I love preparing myself for worship with good wholesome Trap music. I will admit sometimes I do stray to other subgenres as well as international rap artists. This past Christmas I had the luxury of Gucci Mane’s East Atlanta Santa album to keep my Christmas spirit up. However it became obvious just last week that not enough music is both inspired by and released around Holy Week. True, Kendrick Lamar’s album did come out right on time but it did not give me the seasonal pep in my step that my spirit yearned for. With that being said, I took the time to reevaluate current Rap music and curate a Stations of the Cross mix tape for those who may also metaphorically or literally twerk, trap, and praise the Lord. Even though Holy Week is over, it is never too late to remember the sacrifice made to grant us eternal life.

First Station Jesus is Condemned to Death

“Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is your king!” The crowd yelled “away with him! Crucify him! Crucify him!” Pilate asked, “What? Crucify your king?” The chief priests shouted back, “We have no king but Caesar.” Then Pilate gave Jesus to them to be crucified.” (John 19: 14-16)

Lil' Kim- Lil' Drummer Boy

Lil Kim being the story teller that she is takes us to a court room. There she is on trial for murder that she claims to be self-defense. She describes to us the situation while calling upon God for strength. By the end of the song it becomes apparent that like Jesus, the entire trial was a set up. Kim was placed in a predicament made to create a guilty defense and essentially sabotage Junior Mafia. However it appears that Kim avoided a life sentence in her song while Jesus was sentenced to death.

Second Station Jesus Accepts His Cross

“Then the Roman soldiers took him, beat him, and spit on him. When they tired of their sport, they put his clothes on him again, and led him away to be crucified.” (Matthew 27: 30-31)

Lauryn Hill- Forgive Them Father

Lauryn uses the first of the seven words as a song title as she asks the God of her understanding to be merciful to those who have done her wrong.  Lauryn demands her humanity to be appreciated and acknowledged even though humanity thrives in cruelty.  She is calling out every sin we commit and lifts up these burdens as she has no power in changing others. Jesus does not speak here but it is clear that he too is facing the same inequities that Lauryn describes. He is undeserving of such treatment and is placed on display to be shamed as he heads to his death.

Third Station Jesus Falls the First Time

“So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10: 12-13)

Cardi B.- Never Give up

Cardi B. may seem like an abstract artist to include in a Religious Devotional but Cardi speaks directly to endurance and perseverance in her second mixtape. She addresses drug abuse, suicide, and finding other ways to cope. This is not the only time Jesus will fall as he carries this cross and getting back up will not get any easier, but God is faithful and will continue to guide us to where we need to be.

Fourth Station Jesus Meets His Mother, Mary

“Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)

2Pac- Dear Mama

2Pac pays tribute to his mother’s efforts in trying to raise a young black male in the United States. This song I particular has been inspirational to other artists and their ballads to mother figures. What is striking is the empathy Pac portrays that brings us to think of the sacrifices Mary made to protect young Jesus as a child. To think that Mary sacrificed two years of her life to protect her son as refugees in Egypt only to watch him die on the cross three decades later. 2Pac’s death in 1996 reminds us that no mother can protect their child from injustice no matter how hard they try.

Fifth Station Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross

“They compelled a passer-by who was coming in from the country to carry his cross. It was Simon of Cyrene.” (Mark 15:21)

Chance The Rapper- Summer Friends

Chance the Rapper brings us back to our youth as he describes summers of temporary friendships. The song is filled with innocence as well as the coming of age era we all experience. It is almost ironic because Simon is previously described as a friend of Jesus however is essentially forced to help his friend carry the cross. In reality, Jesus was almost entirely abandoned by his disciples as many tried to remain silent to avoid equal execution. Though the idea of Simon assisting is often romanticized, the decision seems to be unauthentic much like summer friends. 

Sixth Station A Woman Wipes the Face of Jesus

“Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)

Queen Latifah- U.N.I.T.Y.

Queen Latifah says what continues to rest on the heart of black women today. Stop disrespecting us and work with us to strengthen our communities. It’s interesting how overlooked that message is in typical Misogynistic Christian culture. A woman from the crowd comes to wipe the face of Jesus and rather than walking in arrogance, he is grateful to the woman. The common theme between Jesus and women is treating them as equals which we seem to forget in 2017. U.N.I.T.Y.

Seventh Station Jesus Falls the Second Time

“Surely he has borne our infirmities, carried our sorrows, and our diseases, yet we accounted him stricken, struck by God, and afflicted.” (Isaiah 53:4)

DMX- Slippin'

DMX never fails to bring his authentic self to his music which is why his honest reflection of his childhood is so important. Slippin is the tale of a young boy becoming a man too quickly and not being able to process much of the trauma he experienced during his youth. Now at this point of rock bottom he is coming to the realization that he needs to be better not only for himself but his family. When Jesus falls for the second time he is obviously too weak and beaten up to carry on even with the help of Simon. The night before he was on trial and moments before the trek he was beaten while naked. DMX begins his story with the sins of his family and society that influenced his decisions later down the line. Jesus too has now been hit with the sins of the world and still gets back up to eventually free us all.

Eighth Station Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem

“A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned to them and said “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and your children.” (Luke 23: 27-28)

Common- The Day Women Took Over

Common, Brother Hotep, Sense came out with Black America Again which resembled some of his classic flows. In The Day Women Took Over, he fantasizes about a utopian society ran by women where there is both peace and equity. He acknowledges the power, resilience, and restraint we have while celebrating powerful women such as Michelle Obama, Beyonce, Oprah, Rosa Parks, Fanny Lou Hamer, Harriet Tubman, Maya Angelou and Liz Dozier. In reality the song speaks truth to Jesus’ last words to the women telling them that his death is far less bad than what is in store for both them and their children. The societal norms of 1^st century Palestine are not too farfetched from the social inequalities all non-male genders experience today.  We demand justice for all genders so that peace may truly exist.

Ninth Station Jesus Falls the Third Time

“I fall prostrate in the dust; give me life according to your word. My soul weeps for sorrow, strengthen me with your words.” (Psalm 119:25)

Kanye West- Never Let Me Down

Early Kanye West is the music of protests and Never Let Me Down attests exactly to that. Kanye references his car accident, his activist mother, coming up in the music industry, faith in God and the many failures he had to get where he is today. The song spews endurance and drive much like the final bit that Jesus needed to get back up one last time.  God never lets us down.

Tenth Station Jesus is Stripped of His Clothes

“They stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them; they cast lots for my clothing.” (Matthew 27: 34-35)

T.I.- Hallelujah

T.I. does his own take on Hallelujah recalling his time in prison. In the first verse he brings us to this place of solitude. Although God is by his side it seems that everything in his physical life is being stripped away from him. He continues to describe his faith journey through allusions to biblical stories of the Old Testament. This portrayal of losing everything speaks volumes when compared to Jesus also recalling his time while under state custody, watching his clothes be gambled away as he awaits death. While T.I. manages to find liberation in his suffering, one could only imagine the anxiety building in Jesus.

Eleventh Station Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

“He went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgatha. There they crucified him.” (John 19: 17-18)

Nas- One Mic

Nas never disappoints us as he uses his mic to draw a larger audience of resistance. He speaks out against the institutions that continue to police and disenfranchise communities like our own as well as the violence already instilled. In his lyrics you can hear the readiness to die for the movement and the acknowledgement already that part of fighting back comes with a death wish essentially. Even though nails are what penetrated Jesus, Nas modernizes the nails to be bullets. Who is being nailed to the cross? Who is the sacrificial lamb here? The young men tired of oppression or the ones fighting for power? Maybe Golgatha is Hebrew for the hood as well. 

Twelfth Station Jesus Dies on the Cross

“It was about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. Then, Jesus cried out with a loud voice. “Father! Into your hands I commend my spirit!” Having said this, he breathed his last and died.” (Luke 23:44-46)

Remy Ma- shETHER

To be honest, this was a petty addition to the mix tape. Remy Ma committed first degree murder in this diss track. Listening to this was the equivalence to listening to eternal suffering. Nicki Minaj did not have any say in whether or not she wanted to meet God so early on in her life. SHETHER dropped around midafternoon and by that evening there was a loud voice on Instagram of Minaj trying to hold on to her dignity by snapping at her ally Trey Songz. While realistically it is clear Jesus suffered a much worse fate than Minaj but when this was released, I would have debated that. And that was the last breath of Jesus and Nicki Minaj.

Thirteenth Station The Body of Jesus is Taken Down From the Cross

“After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body.” (John 19:38)

Jay Z- I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight

Jay Z did something significant in this song where he admitted to cheapening his lyrics for financial gain. We can literally pinpoint the period when Jay Z stopped trying to be a lyricist to concentrate on his empire. Considering how Jay Z fans and New Yorkers treat him as the second coming, this song is fitting for Jesus being taken down from the cross. This is a song of transition and telling us that the Old Jay died like the Jesus of Nazareth. It was allowed and so they were removed.

Fourteenth Station Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

“So Joseph took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away.” (Matthew 27: 59-60)

2Pac- Who Do you Believe In?

2Pac closes out our Stations of the Cross Mix Tape on a moderate note rather than in grievance. Tupac collaborates with Kadafi and asks the audience who do you believe in? The two both acknowledge God in English and Arabic while also reaffirming the need to believe in both yourself and a Higher Power.  For the followers of Jesus it is their faith that is so crucial in this period because when Christ rises from the dead, it will be entirely their own decision to believe or not in the resurrection. It is the faith in the resurrection that essentially makes us Christians. With that being said as one is ending the spiritual journey of the Stations of the Cross, one cannot help but wonder who do you believe in?

#ReclaimMissionary

Full Collar or Half Collar? Dressing for Viernes Santo

During the afternoon of Viernes Santo, I find myself Snapchatting my heart, out as usual, narrating the decision making of how to dress for an execution.

  “Alright Snapchat, do I wear my black shirt and full collar or do I wear my black shirt and partial collar?”

Though the statement itself was intentionally superficial, I began to ask myself, “Well, what does one wear to a planned execution?” I mean isn’t that what Viernes Santo is? Whether it is the Stations of the Cross or the Last Words, the liturgy is remembering a public government sponsored murder of an innocent and unarmed person of color, renamed a crucifixion. Nic don’t beat a dead horse. At this point the correlation between the crucifixion and police brutality or modern day lynching has been made over and over again. Yet like the crucifixion, we still have not learned a thing from it. There are still people who will justify the abuse of power. There are still people who will remain silent in the face of oppression. And there are still those who will die for justice.

I wonder what Mary of Bethlehem wore when she heard that her son would be nailed to a cross. What does a mother wear before she is to lose a child? I wonder what Sandra Bland’s mother was wearing when she received noticed that her daughter was killed in prison. If Tamir Rice’s parents knew their son would be shot dead in a park during the day, would they have worn black for grievance or white to celebrate a life not yet truly lived? 

Spoiler alert: I went with a grey shirt and full collar.

I told y'all I was snapchatting. . don't judge me

These sound like absurd questions to ponder before worship but I want you to think more deeply about them. How do you plan to encounter immorality? Is it more difficult to bear witness or receive notice afterwards? Rightfully so a lot of the attention of Viernes Santo goes to Jesus who makes the ultimate sacrifice for the entire world. While Jesus suffers physically, for days both his mother and followers suffer emotionally. When I ask what one wears to a public execution I challenge us to imagine having to bear physical witness inhumanity in the cruelest form.

We celebrate Holy Week two thousand years removed from the sabotage of an innocent man while also engaging in this space every single day. I am curious as to what makes the human experience of Viernes Santo much different from . . .

August 28th, 1955     February 4th, 1999     

February 26th, 2012   March 21st, 2012

July 7th, 2014             August 5th, 2014      

August 9th, 2014       April 19th, 2015

July 13th, 2015          August 1st, 2016

Holy Week reminds me of Fruitvale Station, the story of Oscar Grant. We spend a whole movie watching folks trying to humanize this peaceful and innocent man. We become empathetic to this character as we see the love he has for his friends and his family. He wants better. Then we come to this time of trial where Grant is being apprehended for the crime of merely being considered a threat to authority. In the back of the officer’s mind one can imagine a voice shouting “Crucify him! Crucify him!” merely to justify the actions of the night. Bang. We are taken back to a grieving family waiting for justice. Oscar Grant dies in the flesh while his story lives amongst us all through film and the pursuit of justice.

With all of this being said, I suppose this is what makes Semana Santa so special. Only speaking for myself, my theological understanding of the crucifixion to the resurrection is when Jesus of Nazareth dies and Christ our Savior lives. Today many if not most Christian traditions believe Jesus is both fully divine and fully human and his divinity comes from overcoming death on the cross. Through the cross we experience grace because of the life after. Yet through the cross we also experience shame because every single one of us is guilty for the death in the first place. We are the crowd of His own people looking to justify the actions of corruption because we think legal means righteous. We are Peter denying our affiliations with “those types”. We are Judas selling out for personal gain. We are Pontius Pilate allowing power and prejudice to counter justice. While we may struggle with deciphering where we fit in the cycle of terror it is important to stay mindful that we do in fact play a role. So what do I wear to a public execution that I have permitted to happen through my actions? Do I wear indifference? Or maybe I should wear remorse?

Spoiler alert II:  I wore my sins.

Vocabulary Key

Viernes Santo= Good Friday

Semana Santa= Holy Week

#ReclaimMissionary

Vicar Takes Holy Week

"We live and die. Christ died and lived!"

Some of the greater gifts I have received.

I have been trying to stay on top of my blog however there has not been anything to spectatular to really share. Summer break really changed the flow of things but that did not stop everything. The video on the left is a 10min recap of what's been happening in Grand Bourg from Cuaresma to Holy Week. To give you a better view of what else has been happening, here are a few additional pieces to paint a pretty picture.

In the video I mention #LiberadoYSinMiedo. The devotional series is written in Spanish and there are English translations below. These reflections have been personally helpful for me during Lent making it much easier to prepare for morning devotions before meetings. It also has stimulated a lot of conversation amongst social groups in  the church. Find #LiberadoYSinMiedo Here!


Marisol and Nic singing = If you click this link, you will find one of my youth and I singing Adele. I included this link because just last year Marisol was part of our catequesis group. This year she asked me how old she had to be to volunteer with this year's catequesis group. Needless to say, she volunteers every Friday and has even assisted in our Taller de Pascua and Holy Week worship services. Not every young person makes the transition from camper/student/ recipient to counselor/ teacher/ giver. Marisol represents the next generation of our youth group coming into fruition.  

In the video I also mention the 20 different devotionals we did with the elementary school and high school. My supervisor had to leave me alone at one point. Needless to say I went rogue and decided to teach my group how to sing one of my favorite Pinecrest songs in English. "Love" song Taller de Pascua

Jueves Santo Lectura:

23 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for[a] you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

"The Empanada. One of the staples of diets across the Americas are the empanada. This small singular item serves as a snack for some, dinner for others, a gift for parties, or a symbol of home to many. We celebrate life with empanadas as grandmothers stuff these pastries with meats and veggies. They are cheap and accessible, sold on street corners like chewing gum. The empanada. It is a form of nourishment that is a reflection of culture and creativity. Sometimes we overlook the meaning behind something so simple. Sometimes we forget how many different ways it can be prepared, consumed, and distributed. Regardless, the empanada is always made with love.

On our table tonight are empanadas, not as a substitute for the Bread of Life which Christ offers us but as a reminder of the life we have on earth with each other. The empanadas connect us to each other and to the rest of the world around us. When eating the empanadas, think of those around you sharing in this feast and pray for those who may not know where their next meal comes from."

25 In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

"Yerba Mate. There is nothing more communal than the gourd and bombilla filled with yerba. For centuries hollow fruit and cups have been passed amongst people sharing this divine herb that comes from the earth. Mate is shared with both friends, neighbors, strangers, and family. Some of us swear by it as the thing that wakes us up every morning. Yerba Mate has become symbolic in our culture and across other neighboring nations. Like the wine passed amongst Jesus and his disciples, Mate is the drink of the people.

Tonight we will share Mate with one another like we would do any other day. This cup speaks of a cultural history, a reflection of community, and a unifying life giving taste. When consuming the cup remember those who have no one to share in this cup, remember those who are lonely and thirst. Do not let your compassion end here, but rather let it strengthen you to go out and be a neighbor to someone else. "

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

"Eat. Drink. Remember. Use your voices and your actions to proclaim the good news, the promise of life everlasting. "

Now we are out on the other end of Holy Week and the last quarter of my internship. Consensus shows, Holy Week is still a dope liturgical week and the hardest week of standard clergy work. After worship I slept for a collective 18 hours. To be honest, I could still use a few hours. Not everyone is built for this.

#ReclaimMissionary

Homesick

I may have mentioned that this was my first time living outside of the U.S. but it is also the longest I have spent without seeing my family. Though we all shared some tears before I left, I did not think it was going to be as difficult as it has been. Facetime and whatsapp have been a blessing but there is nothing like calling your mother at 2:00am for her to come pick you up from Port Authority because your laundry bag is too clumsy to carry through Midtown. 

I saw home today

In the form of 4c hair,

In "y'alls", drawls, and care

At first this solo trek from the band was fairly mild but after an entire summer of YAGM families visiting, the emptiness began to really set in. What a luxury it would be to see someone who speaks my language and not just english. Thankfully a friend of mine from the states came to the rescue. For just a moment in time Buenos Aires really felt like home.

Familiar face

For five fragments, feelings free

-free from "foreigner"

Though our American accents differed by region, fluency rang in my ears. We speak trap music, hip hop, tattoos, and art. Our eyes share perspective of being "other" not just abroad but at home. For me this prize of companionship eliminated feelings of isolation. No longer did it feel like I was photoshopped into a city but that the city accompanied us. 

Buenos Aires is

Like soy at a Barbeque

I'm fed- not nourished

For a couple of days I was able to parade my friend around the place I call home and address cultural and social differences that only another American POC would understand. It was funny almost. At times I saw the same conflict drawn on his face like mine when I first arrived. Maybe it was the vast economic disparity. Or the significant differences between Capital Federal and the Provincia. There were so many wonderful things to experience while also many things lost in translation. 

A house that talks back

Laughing without FaceTime app

I think I missed that

There was a time when my house was no longer filled with air and cat hair but with voices that bounced off of walls. Morning coffee was made for two instead of one. Breakfast was ate without netflix or playlists. Coming from a big family my house was never this quiet. Even at seminary roommates and friends were of abundance. I had not even noticed how much has shifted in my home life.

This is my home now

Friends, tongue, food, song, barrio

And this too will change

Then my friend boarded his flight in Montevideo and in a moment's notice, everything went back to the way it had been. I traveled back to Buenos Aires on bus, ferry, and train with a headphone in my ear while watching the time change. There was no one to whisper to about the strange things I saw on the ride home. Then I slept in my bed the next morning and woke up to any empty house. Of course there was Penne and Cannoli but even they become mute. During this visit there were times that made me feel at home but the reminiscing of the States also reminded me that this too will come to an end. Again, I will pick up and change the place that I call "home". As much as I love an adventure, it seems a bit unsettling. Literally, it is a life that is unsettled. 

What I have learned from this is that being alone sucks. As a verbal processor and extrovert, I am beyond thankful to have brought Penne with me because I think he helped me settle into this quiet living. His presence made everything feel a bit less strange. However after having a taste of my normalcy again, I realize how different my lifestyle has really been and companionship (whether friends or family) has been missing. People. I love people. Even though my job allows me to interact with all different types of people, it's just not the same. For the rest of my time here, I'll certainly manage. But I look forward to not having to do this alone for much longer.

#ReclaimMissionary