Readings for Ash Wednesday Isaiah 58:1-12 Psalm 103 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 This homily was preached at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity in San Rafael on Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2016. It was Johannine scholar and Salesian priest Frank Moloney who first called my attention to the obvious incongruity built into the Ash Wednesday service, […]

Readings for the Last Sunday after Epiphany (Year C): Exodus 34:29-35 Psalm 99 2 Corinthians 3:12 – 4:2 Luke 9:28-36 This sermon was preached at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Crockett CA on Sunday February 7, 2016.  About 1700 years ago, a Roman emperor imprisoned a kind-hearted priest for secretly conducting weddings for young Christian couples. The emperor […]

Readings for the Feast Day of St. Brigid Judges 4:4-9 Psalm 138 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Matthew 6:25-33 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Sausalito CA on January 31, 2016 (the Eve of St. Brigid’s Feast Day).  Today we are celebrating the feast day of one of my favorite saints and one of the most […]

Readings for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany (Year C) Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5 -6, 8-10 Psalm 19 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a Luke 4:14-21 This sermon was preached at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity in San Rafael CA on January 24, 2016. In the Gospel this morning, Jesus teaches the importance of preaching a short sermon. After reading the […]

Readings for the First Sunday after Christmas Isaiah 61: 10 – 62:3 Psalm 147:13-21 Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7 John 1:1-18 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Sausalito CA on the Feast Day of St. John: December 27, 2015. Over the last few years, I have been studying, writing, teaching and presenting papers on the […]

  Readings for the First Sunday of Advent (Year C) Jeremiah 33:14-16 Psalm 25:1-9 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 Luke 21:25-36 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Sausalito CA on November 29, 2015. Happy New Year! Today we begin the liturgical year, on this first Sunday of Advent. At the 9:30 service we have been eagerly anticipating […]

This reflection was shared at The First Presbyterian Church of San Rafael at the Interfaith Thanksgiving Eve Service on November 25, 2015 A grandmother was watching her grandson play on the beach one day when a huge wave swept the young boy out to sea. She wasn’t able to swim and so desperately, she prayed, “Please God, save […]

Readings for the Twenty Second Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 25 Year B Track 1) Job 42:1-6, 10-17 Psalm 34:1-8, (19-22) Hebrews 7:23-28 Mark 10:46-52 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Sausalito CA on October 25, 2015.  In 1940, Anglican author and apologist C.S. Lewis wrote a book titled The Problem of Pain, which seeks to […]

Readings for the Twenty First Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 24 Year B Track 1) Job 38:1-7 Psalm 104:1-9, 25, 37b Hebrews 5:1-10 Mark 10:35-45 This sermon was preached at Grace Episcopal Church in Martinez CA on October 18, 2015.  This last July, while participating in a conference at St. Louis University, I visited the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, […]