An Episcopal Priest's Sermons, Prayers, and Reflections on Life, Becoming Human, and Discovering Our Divinity
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near,” Jesus says in today’s gospel (Matthew 4:12-23) How’s that working for you? Who here has repented today? Anyone? No? Okay, well it’s still early, not even lunch time yet. Did anyone…
Read More Rethinking Repentance – A Sermon On Matthew 4:12-23
Several years ago I was teaching a class about today’s gospel (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32), the Parable of the Prodigal Son. As soon as class was finished a man who had been sitting in the back of the room started coming…
Read More Coming Clean With Ourselves – A Sermon On Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 9, Year B - Mark 6:1-13 Nazareth as depicted on Byzantine mosaic. Photograph by Meister der Kahriye-Cami-Kirche in Istanbul. Public Domain. Wikimedia Commons “Jesus came to his hometown.” He's left that place where he healed…
Read More The Hometown Disadvantage – A Sermon On Mark 6:1-13
Who would you be if you ever became fully yourself? What new possibilities might arise? How would your relationships change? What fears would disappear? How do you imagine your life would be different?
The sword Jesus brings is the sword of separation. It is neither a rejection of family and relationships nor is it destructive of life. Rather, Jesus’ sword of separation is generative of life and relationships. It unbinds, frees, and brings about the separateness necessary for growing up and finding life.
Luke 2:49. "[Jesus] said to them, 'Why are you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?'" Growing up isn’t limited to children or a particular age group. Regardless of age, we are…
“Child, why have you treated us like this?” Sound familiar? Do you know those words? Do they take you back to another time, another place? Think back to your childhood. Do you remember hearing those words or words like them?…
Read More No Longer a Manger Baby: Letting Jesus Grow Up – A Sermon on Luke 2:41-52
The lectionary offers three options for the Second Sunday After Christmas. My parish will be celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6. We used the Matthew option last year. So this year I choose Luke 2:41-52 as our…
Read More Growing Up And Moving Home – A Sermon On Luke 2:41-52
Interrupting the Silence 