God Delights in You and is Proud to Call You His Own

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 […]

Be Refreshed by the Word Made Flesh

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 […]

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 […]

Invitation of the Advent Mandala

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 […]

Entering into Abundance through the Discipline of Gratitude

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 […]

The Healing Power of Theodical Spirituality

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 […]

Anchored in Grace

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, […]

The Empathy of St. Francis

Readings for the Feast Day of St. Francis Galatians 6:14-18 Psalm 148:7-14 Matthew 11:25-30 This sermon was preached at Grace Episcopal Church in Martinez CA on October 4, 2015. There was a discussion in a First Grade religion class focused on St. Francis of Assisi. After school, a First Grader came home very excited about what he had […]

The Salt and Fire of Dialogue

Readings for the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 21 Year B Track 2) Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29 Psalm 19:7-14 James 5:13-20 Mark 9:38-50 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Sausalito CA on September 27, 2015. Several weeks ago, at the 9:30 children’s service, I invited the children to sit silently and imagine God holding them and […]

Welcoming Our Humanity as Beloved by God

Readings for the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 20 Year B Track 1) Proverbs 31:10-31 Psalm 1 James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a Mark 9:30 – 37 This sermon was preached at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Crockett CA on September 20, 2015. A Sunday school teacher asked her little children, as they were on their way to a church service, […]