The Shepherd Who is With Us in the Valley

Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year A) Acts 2:42-47 1 Peter 2:19-25 John 10:1-10 Psalm 23 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA on April 26, 2026. Yesterday, I attended a stimulating presentation on addiction at the Town Church by a philosophy professor from Los Angeles named Dr. Kent Dunnington, author […]

A Reflection on St. Mark and Simplicity

Readings for the Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist Isaiah 52:7-10 Psalm 2 or 2:7-10 Ephesians 4:7-8,11-16 Mark 10:17-27 and Mark 14:51 – 52 This reflection was shared at the monthly gathering of Postulants, Associates and Oblates of the Community of the Transfiguration on April 24, 2026 in Eureka CA. This reflection was later published in The Transfiguration […]

The First Eucharist

Readings for the Third Sunday of Easter (Year A) Acts 2:14a,36-41 1 Peter 1:17-23 Luke 24:13-35 Psalm 116:1-3, 10-17 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA on April 19, 2026. This last week, I had the honor of speaking as a guest lecturer in a seminary Bible class and then a World Religions […]

A Moving Letter Between Medieval Friends

A version of these remarks were shared at the What Moves You? event in the 222’s Moss Sculpture Garden in Healdsburg CA on Easter Wednesday, April 8, 2026 What Moves You? is a contemplative experience of shared spiritual reflection upon a sacred text. What Moves You? I am moved by the liturgical calendar! The Liturgical Calendar is […]

Seven “First” Words

Readings for Easter Sunday (Year A) Acts 10:34-43 Colossians 3:1-4 John 20:1-18 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA on April 5, 2026. Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! There’s a popular Good Friday service called the “Seven Last Words” which includes meditations and musical reflections […]

“Come, Dervishes: Here is the Water of Life”

Sermon begins at 35:55 Readings for the Easter Vigil (Year A) Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 [Israel’s deliverance at the Red Sea] Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6 [Learn wisdom and live]Isaiah 55:1-11 [Salvation offered freely to all] Romans 6:3-11Psalm 114Matthew 28:1-10 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA at the Great Vigil of Easter on April […]

Seeing Christ’s Healing Power in Sister Earth

Readings for the Fourth Sunday in Lent – Laetare Sunday (Year A) 1 Samuel 16:1-13 Ephesians 5:8-14 John 9:1-41 Psalm 23 This sermon was preached at St. James Episcopal Church in Florence, Italy on Sunday March 15, 2026. It’s a joy and honor for me to be worshipping with you and preaching here at St. James […]

Listening to the Wind and the Silence with Nicodemus

Readings for the Second Sunday in Lent (Year A) Genesis 12:1-4a Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 John 3:1-17 Psalm 121 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church Eureka on Sunday March 1, 2026. During these Sundays in Lent, we will be reading passages from the Gospel of John that each invite us to engage with one of our […]

Sensual Asceticism

Readings for the First Sunday in Lent (Year A) Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 Romans 5:12-19 Matthew 4:1-11 Psalm 32 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church Eureka on Sunday February 22, 2026. There’s a scene in C. S. Lewis’s science fiction book Perelandra in which the hero of the space novel named Ransom travels from Earth to […]

It Is Good for us to Be Here

Readings for the Last Sunday after Epiphany (Transfiguration) Exodus 24:12-18 2 Peter 1:16-21 Matthew 17:1-9 Psalm 2 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church Eureka on Shrove Sunday February 15, 2025. “It is good to be here. It is good for us to be here.” During an ecumenical event in Sacramento last month, Roman Catholic priest […]