The Pastoral Theodicy of the Good Shepherd

Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter (Good Shepherd Sunday – Year B) Acts 4:5-12 Psalm 23 1 John 3:16-24 John 10:11-18 This sermon was preached at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in San Rafael CA on April 26, 2015. In 1940, Anglican author and apologist C.S. Lewis wrote a book titled The Problem of Pain, which […]

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 […]

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 […]

Archbishop Oscar Romero: Angel or Thunder?

Readings for Fifth Sunday of Lent (Year B) Jeremiah 31:31-34 Psalm 51:1-13 Hebrews 5:5-10 John 12:20-33 This sermon was preached by Daniel at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Albany CA on Sunday March 22, 2015. Famous icon artist (and Franciscan friar) Robert Lentz wrote an icon of the Archbishop and martyr of El Salvador Oscar Romero […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

The Jewish Spirituality of Asking Questions

Readings for the Second Sunday after Christmas Jeremiah 31:7-14 Psalm 84 Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-19a Luke 2:41-52 This sermon was preached by Daniel at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Crockett CA on January 4, 2015. According to Jewish tradition, at a time when Jesus was a young boy, there were two famous rabbis teaching in Jerusalem, Hillel and […]

Silence and the Messianic Secret

Gospel for the First Friday of Advent Matthew 9:27-31 This open-ended homily was preached by Daniel at All Saints Chapel at Church Divinity School of the Pacific on Friday December 5, 2014. Throughout the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus charges his followers several times to keep their lips sealed about his miracles, healings and messianic identity (Mark 8:29-30). In this morning’s Gospel, […]

Slouching Towards Bethlehem

Readings for the First Sunday of Advent (Year B) Isaiah 64:1-9 Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 Mark 13:24-37 This sermon was preached at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity in San Rafael CA on November 30, 2014. Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre […]