There’s a place on earth that my family and I love: it’s an Episcopal camp in Sonoma Country where my kids grew up playing, and where I spent much peaceful time in spiritual retreat. There’s also a rather large mosaic mural installed on a retaining wall there, that my family built and donated. It depicts a full-maned … Read the rest
Continue reading "The Story ChatGPT Can't Write" »
Together with some of you at Trinity, I spent Ash Wednesday—the first of forty days of Lenten self-denial that precede Easter—out on the streets of San Jose imposing ashes on the foreheads of people who had little need of them. The people sleeping rough in our urban parks and sidewalks know what it is to do without, … Read the rest
Continue reading "Honest to Grief" »
“The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.”
In a simpler age, before COVID-19 and the invasion of Ukraine and atmospheric rivers and devastating floods and yet another mass shooting in a school, I might have read the scary … Read the rest
Continue reading "Stay Awake" »
A friend tells a story about being at a retreat where the leader asked the participants to think of someone who represented Christ for them. When it came time to share answers, one woman spoke up and said, “I had to think hard about that one. I kept thinking, Who is it that told me the truth about … Read the rest
Continue reading "Way to Live" »
Mount Sinai, site of the revelation to Moses and source of the ten commandments. Mount Tabor, site of the Transfiguration we just heard about. And shortly, we’ll enter Lent and journey towards Golgotha, hilltop site of Jesus’ crucifixion. Mountain after mountain after mountain… our Judeo-Christian ancestors clearly love stories that take place on mountains! And of course, it’s … Read the rest
Continue reading "A Tale of Three Mountains" »Since September of the past year, a faithful group of us have been reading through the whole Bible. Actually something of a Reader’s Digest version of the whole Bible, using a book called The Path. So if you’ve been scared to join us, know that you are welcome anytime—each weekly zoom class stands on its own—and the … Read the rest
Continue reading "Not for the Faint of Heart" »
Salt and light, that’s what we are called to be according to Jesus. These are metaphors that have deep Biblical resonance. Throughout this season after Epiphany, for example, we’ve been dazzled by light images. Isaiah tells us that we are to be a light to the nations, and the very heavens opened to illuminate Jesus’ baptismal identity. From … Read the rest
Continue reading "Shine Without Shame!" »
Are you poor? Are you sad or hungry or feeling unworthy? Are you persecuted? Well then, blessed are you. Enjoy all your blessings!
Do Matthew’s beatitudes leave you just a bit uncomfortable? Blessings might a great reward in heaven, but—let’s be honest here—these earthly attributes that apparently bring about heavenly blessing are kind of hard to bear in … Read the rest
Continue reading "Bless Your Heart" »
It’s commonly been said—although evidently never by Albert Einstein—that “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” I’m guessing you’ve heard that saying: it’s a kind of a secular Gospel in a place like Silicon Valley, where disrupting business as usual IS business as usual.
That principle has been … Read the rest
Continue reading "Catching and Mending" »
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” I’ve always wanted to say that in a sermon; it makes me feel like St. Paul. And regardless of how you feel about the content of Paul’s canon of biblical letters—the ones he wrote and the ones attributed to him—none of us can dispute … Read the rest
Continue reading "Grace and Peace" »