The Sermon on the Mount: Teachings of a Jewish Mystic (Part 2)

Readings for the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany (Year A): Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Psalm 119:1-8 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 Matthew 5:21-37 This sermon was preached at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in San Rafael CA on February 12, 2017. There is a wonderful collection of wisdom sayings from Jewish rabbis who lived from 200 BC to 200 AD. The collection […]

The Sermon on the Mount: Teachings of a Jewish Mystic (Part 1)

Readings for the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany (Year A): Isaiah 58:1-12 Psalm 112:1-9 1 Corinthians 2:1-16 Matthew 5:13-20 This sermon was preached at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in San Rafael CA on February 5, 2017. Although over the last several years, I have preached at many congregations throughout this diocese and beyond, I had never preached […]

Redeemer and Micah’s Threefold Mission

Readings for the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany (Year A) Micah 6:1-8 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Matthew 5:1-12 Psalm 15 This sermon was preached at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in San Rafael CA on January 29, 2017. (This sermon on Redeemer and Micah’s Threefold Mission served as the Clergy Report for the Redeemer San […]

Casting a Net with Chloe

Readings for the Third Sunday after Epiphany (Year A): Isaiah 9:1-4 Psalm 27:1, 5-13 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 Matthew 4:12-23 This sermon was preached at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in San Rafael CA on January 22, 2017. In last Sunday’s Gospel from John, we read about Peter being introduced to Jesus by his brother Andrew, who tells […]

Behold the Lamb of God

Readings for the Second Sunday after Epiphany (Year A): Isaiah 49:1-7 Psalm 40:1-12 John 1:29-42 This sermon was preached at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in San Rafael CA on January 15, 2017. This last Wednesday was the third anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood. Some of you met me when I was a Postulant, which […]

Epiphanies from the Magi Nation

Readings for the Feast Day of Epiphany: Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72 Matthew 2:1-12 This sermon was preached at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in San Rafael CA on January 8, 2017. Today we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, a feast that honors the surprising ways that God shows up in our lives insofar as we have […]

Be Refreshed by the Word Made Flesh

Readings for Christmas Day: Isaiah 52:7-10 Psalm 98 John 1:1-14 This sermon was preached at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in San Rafael CA on December 25, 2016. Merry Christmas! Not only is today the first day of the twelve days of Christmas, it is also as the first day of Hanukkah. And tomorrow is the first […]

Basking in Our Belovedness (Christmas Eve Sermon)

Readings for Christmas Eve Isaiah 9:2-7 Titus 2:11-14 Luke 2:1-14(15-20) Psalm 96 This sermon was preached at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer on Saturday December 24, 2016. Merry Christmas! This evening we celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ, which we just heard recounted to us in a wonderful way. This evening we have […]

Advent with Black Elk: Jesus (and) the Wanekia

Chapters 21 and 22: The Messiah and Visions of the Other World In these chapters, Black Elk describes the Messiah or Wanekia whom he heard about among the Paiute. The Paiute are indigenous peoples of California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Arizona. The Wanekia in Black Elk Speaks was named Wovoka or Jack Wilson and […]

Advent and Christmas with Black Elk: Remembering Holy Innocents at Wounded Knee

Chapters 23, 24 and 25: Bad Trouble Coming, the Butchering at Wounded Knee and the End of the Dream In these final chapters, Black Elk describes the Battle at Wounded Knee, which was really more of a massacre and “butchering” than it was a battle. Armed US troops shot and killed about 150 men, women […]