The Secret to Joy

Readings for Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter Acts 18:1-8 Psalm 98:1-4 John 16:20-23a This open-ended homily was preached at All Saints Chapel at Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley CA on May 15, 2015.  A grandmother was watching her grandchild playing on the beach one day when a huge wave came and took him […]

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“How Long Will You Take Away Our Life?”: Followers of the Good Shepherd in Baltimore and Nepal

Readings for Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter Acts 11:19-26 Psalm 87 John 10:22-30 This sermon was preached at All Saints Chapel at Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley CA on April 28, 2015.  In our Gospel this morning, the Judeans gather around Jesus and ask, “Ayos potay ten psyche humon aireis” (Εως […]

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Forgiveness Uncrossed

Readings for the Third Sunday of Easter (Year B) Acts 3:12-19 Psalm 4 1 John 3:1-7 Luke 24:36b-48 This sermon was preached by Daniel at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer  in San Rafael CA on Sunday April 19, 2015.  A few years ago, Saturday Night Live showed a trailer on their program for a fake film […]

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The Cross and the Spirit of Compassion

Gospel for Good Friday John 18:1 – 19:42 This reflection was shared at the Good Friday Meditation service at St. Clement’s Episcopal Church in Berkeley CA on April 3, 2015.  “I came into the world,” Jesus said, “to testify to the truth.” And Pilate asked him, “What is truth?” For centuries, Christians have attempted to answer […]

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The Invitation of the Lamb and the Goat

Readings for First Monday of Lent Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18 Psalm 19:7-14 Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 25:31-46 This homily was preached at All Saints Chapel at Church Divinity School of the Pacific on February 23, 2015.  Calm, gentle, creative, thoughtful, amicable and honest. These are some of the characteristics of those born in the year of the sheep, which began about […]

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Holding the Tension in Lent

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 by Daniel at All Saints Chapel at Church Divinity School of the Pacific on Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2015. It was Johannine scholar and Salesian priest Frank Moloney who first called my attention to the obvious incongruity built into the […]

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The Tao of Dan Strenge

On our many pilgrimages together, Dan Strenge (1983 – 2014) and I would often read portions of the Tao Te Ching to one another. The Tao Te Ching is a collection of proverbs form the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu. As I reflect on my friendship with Daniel, I see how much he lived into […]

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