Saints on Parade: High on Life

Readings from the Message for the Last Day of Camp

Hebrews 12:1-3

Matthew 6:25-34

This sermon was preached by Fr. Daniel London at Camp Living Waters at Cookson Ranch in Blue Lake CA on Friday August 2, 2019.

In the Gospel today Jesus sounds like he’s been at camp. His words embody the Spirit of Camp Living Waters as they invite us to relax and to look at the birds and the trees and to trust that God will provide for all our needs just as he provides for all his creatures.  His words invite us to get high on life through the power of the Holy Spirit.

I mention this because on Wednesday night while praying bedtime prayers with you campers, some of us prayed for all those who struggle with addiction to drugs and other things that are not healthy. We all likely have some addiction to unhealthy things (perhaps video games) or we know someone who struggles with addiction. There are many temptations out there that offer artificial highs that are ultimately very unhealthy for us.

This week, we were free from all those temptations and we all got high naturally, through the Spirit of Camp, which I believe is the Holy Spirit. You can bring that Spirit back home with you. You can keep getting high on life.

The amazing saints we learned about this week knew how to get high on life through the power of the Holy Spirit. St. Martha got high on life through service and you all experienced that high as you served others throughout the week, in the kitchen, at worship, during activities and more. St. Mary got high on life by relaxing and resting in the love of Christ. Oscar Romero got high on life by speaking on behalf of the poor and the marginalized and risking his life for their wellbeing. St. Iggy was all about finding God in the highs of life, as well as the lows. And St. Martin de Porres got so high on life through the power of the Holy Spirit that when he prayed, people saw him levitating! Some of you levitated this week too (while playing “Rise like St. Martin / Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board).

So take the Spirit of Camp Living Waters home with you and keep getting high on life, naturally through the power of the Holy Spirit!