When I was in seminary about 10 years ago, one of the things we were required to do to prepare us for life in ordained ministry was to go on a mission trip to the Mexico side of the Texas border. The goal of that trip wasn’t to proselytize, or build anything, or to evangelize. … READ MORE…
In the summer of 1995, as part of my ordination process, I was required to spend ten weeks working full time as a hospital chaplain. The program included several overnight shifts as the on-call chaplain at Yale New Haven Hospital. At the time my sons were nearly 5 and nearly 8. My husband had a … READ MORE…
God created us free. Free even to decide what we really want in our lives and what we strive after. It is important to know what our innermost wishes are, for they will determine the way we think and act most of our lives. In the passage from I Samuel we just read, the elders … READ MORE…
What was the best part of your week? The best part of mine was Wednesday afternoon. I had two appointments. The first was with a brilliant young seminarian. We talked about ways to reach her generation with the good news of God´s love and we decided to invite other millennials to join the conversation. Half … READ MORE…
A few weeks ago, I opened my sermon with an account of the creation. On this Trinity Sunday I want to share a part of that with you again. In the beginning, there was God. God was love. God’s life of love within God’s very self was expansive and interdependent among the different parts of … READ MORE…
This has been an exciting week, full of good news. I know there is sadness out there in the world. I weep for the families in Santa Fe, Texas, who lost loved ones in Friday’s horrific school shooting. Legislatures are proposing and implementing laws that restrict human rights and promote prejudice. The bloodshed in Gaza … READ MORE…
Alleluia, Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia. When my sister made a surprise visit from Scotland last week, we had just one whole day together. When I asked her what she wanted to do, she said, “where can I buy the best almonds to take home with me?” Almonds, of course, are … READ MORE…
In the beginning, there was God. God was love. God’s life of love within God’s very self was expansive and interdependent among the different parts of God. Each part of God was dependent on the love of the other parts, resulting in an even greater love. That greater love was so big that it could … READ MORE…
Maybe you´ve already figured out that, as well as being Earth Day, today is Good Shepherd Sunday. It comes around every year on the fourth Sunday of Easter, and the image of the community of faith as a flock of sheep is a well-worn metaphor. If you´d like to know more, I refer you to … READ MORE…
Easter 3B, April 15, 2018 St. Paul’s Cathedral, San Diego Luke 24:36b-48 Christ is risen. “He is risen indeed. Alleluia!” We proclaim this bold news each week during the season of Easter. You should know me well enough to know by now that I don’t believe in rote liturgy. I don’t believe in doing things … READ MORE…