• What is Wrong?

    What is Wrong?

    We blame immigrants We blame minorities We blame women We blame sexuality We blame immorality We blame liberals We blame conservatives We blame judges We blame cops We blame communities We blame mothers We blame fathers We blame workers We blame corporations We blame executives We blame bankers We blame lawyers We blame soldiers We…

  • Called to Transformation

    Called to Transformation

    How Jesus calls us to act now to do something audacious, in spite of ourselves, precisely because GOD is audacious a Homily for Epiphany 3B  |  Text: Mark 1:14-20 Calling I love these call stories: these stories of Jesus calling the disciples to follow him. I think they’re pure gold for us. They may not be…

  • I Can’t Write in a Laundromat

    I Can’t Write in a Laundromat

    It seems like such a good idea. Lots of waiting. Lots of opportunity. No kids running around. It is socially acceptable to ignore the people around you. The laundromat seems like a fine place to write. For some reason, I can’t. My family has had to adjust to once again not having a washer and…

  • Why I Love the Call Stories

    Why I Love the Call Stories

    Most preachers love the psalms and parables. Me, I’ll take the call stories. The stories where Jesus collects followers like I collected baseball cards and comic books. Intentionally: with respect for big names and the common ones alike. Of course the other stories are sexier. The enduring parables like The Prodigal Son(s), the Good Samaritan, the…

  • What Do We See?

    What Do We See?

      Seeing is not just Believing, Seeing is Really Seeing Epiphany 2B   |  John 1:43-51 Come and See Andrew is a follower of John the Baptist. He’s the one involved. He’s the worker. The devoted one. After John baptizes Jesus, he tells Andrew about it, about him. Who Jesus really is. Andrew gets his…

  • No Merit In a Massacre

    No Merit In a Massacre

    Word that some 2,000 people were massacred this weekend in Nigeria by Boko Haram, has been slow-moving. Perhaps it is not as stunning to us to imagine Africans killed on a giant scale than a dozen Parisians. I won’t judge. Two unrelated tragedies that are both disturbing. What struck me was this quote District head Baba…

  • Love and Sacrifice

    Love and Sacrifice

    a Homily for Easter 6B Text: John 15:9-17 Last week’s Gospel pericope ended with verses 7 and 8 which read: If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and…

  • Repent and Become

    Repent and Become

    And here, at the font, is where we begin. We get the chance to repent and return. We get the chance to realign and to be given a new opportunity. To shake that Etch-a-Sketch we call a life and try again. We get to go through baptism once, but we can keep getting wet. We…