I Can Hear Mexico Calling
Following the call as a YAGM through the ELCA
Mexico is a predominantly Catholic nation, yet by chance, I moved into a Jewish town with a Lutheran family. This family is so religiously diverse. My host parents are Lutheran, yet within the extended family there are Messianic Jews, Mormons, Catholics, and Evangelicals. Living with so many different spiritual perspectives has definitely challenged my assumptions about religiosity in Mexico. When I moved in with the Lutheran side of the family, I also moved into a new church home. For many generations, my host family has worshipped with a bilingual, Lutheran congregation called, Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd). There are only about 10-20 people in attendance on a given Sunday, yet they have a profound sense of community and commitment to this church. Much of this has to do with the pastor there who welcomes everyone individually and connects with them mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Meet Rev. Miguel (shown in picture), who comes from El Salvador and sees social justice as being directly linked to spirituality. I’ve only heard four sermons from Miguel, but in each one he applies scripture to current-day power structures, to the 43 missing students who are among many others that have not seen justice, and constantly emphasizes that all relationships and situations are not just between people, but between people and God. Today, Miguel preached on Mark 9:38-50 in which Jesus says, “If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell…” These are often noted as harsh words from Jesus, however Miguel offered the interpretation of our hands, legs, eyes, etc. as metaphors for our pride, power, greed, and privilege which keep us from the peace and humility of an authentic relationship with God and with others. Issues of privilege and power have been on my mind a lot lately, both as I follow the news in the U.S. and as I wrestle with the power and privilege that I have here in Mexico. My mind began to spin thinking about if we apply this interpretation to other bodily metaphors in scripture—from being the body of the church to recognizing our bodies as temples of the holy spirit. The hymn “Take my Life and Let It Be” came to mind as it consecrates one’s hands, feet, and voice to God. I was struck by this. What would happen if we consecrated our whole selves to God?—not just the parts that are easy to offer, but the parts of ourselves that we try to deny. What would happen if we consecrated our pride, power, and privilege? What would that mean? And how might that change our society? I certainly don’t have the answers, but I think that’s a big part of what we are being asked to do as YAGM volunteers. We are asked to acknowledge our privilege—even the fact that it is a privilege to be able to leave our country, to travel, to pause our lives in the U.S. and begin new ones in a new community, and that it is a privilege to choose to serve. I am so thankful for Miguel for challenging my faith each week, for reminding me that God is not limited by borders or language barriers, for teaching me that scripture is truly a living word and that it speaks to us today regardless of our social, political, or spiritual contexts, and for encouraging me to evaluate how my faith in God intersects with my worldly privilege.
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AuthorMy name is Kathryn Ophardt. I am spending this year in Mexico City as a Young Adult for Global Mission with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. During this year of service, I'll be working with the non-profit, Casa Refugiados. Archives
October 2018
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