Gird yourself in Humility

The following reflection on John 21:1-19 was written for and published in the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California E News “Explorations in the Gospel of John” on April 26, 2022. May 1 – The Third Sunday of Easter John 21:1-19 After casting their net to the starboard side of the boat for a tremendous catch, […]

The Good Shepherd in John 10 (Wordfest)

This reflection was shared at the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California’s WordFest on Saturday April 23, 2022, following reflections on Psalm 23, Ezekiel 34. The Good Shepherd tradition of the Bible continues and even reaches a climax of sorts in the Gospel of John chapter 10. Now the purpose of the Gospel of John is […]

Resurrection and Biophotons

Readings for Easter Sunday (Year C) This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA on Easter Sunday April 17, 2022. “Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened” Luke 24:12 In the Name of […]

“This is the Night”

This homily was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA at the Great Easter Vigil Service on April 16, 2022. This is the night. This is the night, when Christ broke the bonds of death and hell, and rose victorious from the grave. How holy and blessed is this night. This is the night we’ve been […]

“There is Hope for a Tree”

Readings for Holy Saturday Job 14:1-14 Psalm 31:1-4, 15-16 John 19:38-42 This reflection was shared at Sacred Saunter Outdoor Eucharist on Holy Saturday April 16, 2022 at Sequoia Park in Eureka. “For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. […]

God on Trial (on Good Friday)

Readings for Good Friday Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Psalm 22 Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 John 19:1-37 This sermon was preached on Good Friday at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA on April 15, 2022. During the first few months of this year (2022), I taught a class online at Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley. The class was […]

Appreciating our Feet (and other Burden Bearers)

Readings for Maundy Thursday Exodus 12:1-14 Psalm 116:1, 10-17 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 John 13:1-17, 31b-35 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA on April 14, 2022 Last month, I spent a day hiking the Headwaters Forest Trail, a 5 ½ mile trail along the Elk River that winds up into an old-growth redwood […]

Guide to Holy Week (2022)

Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week, named after the palms that were used like confetti when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. On this day, we carry palms and shout, “Hosanna!” which means “Save!” or “Saviour” to commemorate Jesus’s Triumphal Entry. Palm Sunday is also called Passion Sunday because we read the account of […]

William Law and outdoor Worship

Readings for the Feast Day of William Law 2 Peter 1:3-11 Psalm 1 Matthew 6:1-8 This reflection was shared at Sacred Saunter Outdoor Eucharist on Saturday April 9, 2022 at Sequoia Park in Eureka. William Law was a Church of England priest in the 18th century who challenged Anglicans to take Christian living seriously in […]

Louis Weil and the Mystery of Matzah

This article was written for the April 2022 Chronicle newsletter for Christ Church Eureka, soon after attending the Solemn Requiem for the Rev. Dr. Louis Weil on Friday April 1, 2022 When I was in Berkeley last weekend to attend my wife Ashley Bacchi’s Borsch-Rast Lecture at the GTU, I had the opportunity to also […]