“We wish to see Jesus”
“Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” These are the words of the Greeks who have come to the Festival of the Passover in Jerusalem. They have seen Jesus riding his…
Aprender a Amar la Cuaresma
Mis hermanos y hermanas en Jesucristo, los invito a este santo tiempo de Cuaresma con esta confesión incómoda: Nunca me ha gustado la Cuaresma. Sé que muchos de ustedes consideran…
Ash Wednesday: Learning to Love Lent
[Preached at All Saints Church, Pasadena, CA in English and Spanish Isaiah 58: 1-12 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21] My brothers and sisters in Christ, I invite you to this holy season…
“Do you think God wants you to be miserable?”
Ecclesiasticus 15:15-21 Matthew 5:21-37 Rules, rules, rules. All the readings today are about following God’s commandments, and the general message of them is, if we follow God’s rules and God’s…
“¿Crees que Dios quiere que seas miserable?”
Ecclesiasticus 15:15-21 Matthew 5:21-37 Reglas, reglas , reglas. Todas las lecturas de hoy son acerca de seguir los mandamientos de Dios. El mensaje general de ellos es , si seguimos…
Senioritis
Anybody who is in their last year of an academic program has probably been afflicted by senioritis: an inflammation of the spirit that causes itching, irritation and restlessness among people…
The Snark Factor (video and text)
[Preached at All Saints Church, Pasadena, CA on 1/26/2014. Video available here: “Has Christ been divided into parts?” This verse from our reading today in Paul’s first letter to the…
Counting Money in the Temple
Just recently I read about a church pastor who conducted a church’s stewardship campaign without ever mentioning money. I was astounded at this. Why would a minister/pastor/priest balk at asking…
Sermon on Christmas Day: Slouching Toward Bethlehem (video)
Preached on Christmas Day, 2013, at All Saints Church in Pasadena, CA. A video version of this can be found on YouTube. Readings: Isaiah 9:2-7 Luke 2:1-14
Sermon on Christmas Day: Slouching Toward Bethlehem (text)
[An approximate version of what was preached at All Saints Church, Pasadena, CA, on December 25, 2013.] Readings: Isaiah 9:2-7 Luke 2:1-14 Holy people, full of grace, the Lord is…
Sermón: Milagros ocurren todo el tiempo
Vivimos en una época en la que parece absurdo creer en los milagros. Vivimos en una época científica en la que se encuentra la verdad sólo en hechos verificables y…
Sermón: ¿Podemos empezar de nuevo?
[Predicado el 8 de diciembre, 2013 en la Iglesia Todos los Santos en Pasadena, CA] Hay una tendencia en algunas partes de la iglesia a evitar pensar en el Adviento…
Sermon: Can we start over?
[Preached in Spanish on Dec. 8, 2013 at All Saints Church, Pasadena, CA] There is a tendency in some parts of the Church to avoid thinking of Advent as a…
Does God Get Angry?
So I was listening to Mozart’s Requiem a while back, and I couldn’t help wondering whether God gets angry. “Dies irae” (the day of wrath) are the first words of…
Gospel on the Ground 