The Sunday Sermon: Loose the Bonds

All Saints’ Day/Year B Isaiah 25:6-9 Revelation 21:1-6a John 11:32-44 Following the tragic explosion of the space craft Challenger on January 28, 1986, in a speech to the nation, President Ronald Reagan, talking about those who had lost their lives, closed with the words, “We will never forget them this morning as they prepared for … READ MORE…

The Sunday Sermon: How we see

    Proper 25/Year B                                 Jeremiah 31:7-9                                 Hebrews 7:23-28                                 Mark 46-52 “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”― Antoine de … READ MORE…

The Sunday Sermon: Lessons Continually Learned

Proper 23/Year B Amos 5:6-7, 10-15 Hebrews 4:12-16 Mark 10:17-31 I recently told my story at our Spiritual Autobiography class, and I was reminded of the adage, which I cannot remember the exact words of, but it’s something like, “the past isn’t.” Meaning, obviously things happen to us prior to the present moment, but as … READ MORE…

The Sunday Sermon: In praise of All Creatures

The Rev. Canon Albert Ogle blesses a beloved pet Sit! Loving and losing a pet Brandie had nine precious lives and she used up every one of them. She was not a cat. Brandie was a little wire-haired terrier who came into my life ten years ago. She had lived with a friend of mine … READ MORE…

The Sunday Sermon: Full Incarnation

Proper 15/Year B Proverbs 9:1-6 Ephesians 5:15-20 John 6:51-58 In a liturgical church such as ours where mass is celebrated daily, it is easy to forget how offensive Jesus’ words from today’s Gospel reading would have been to the Jewish authorities he was talking to.  In the course of the mass we are used to … READ MORE…

The Sunday Sermon: letting go of explanations

Seminarian Colin Mathewson delivered this sermon on Aug 5th:Tonight the NASA lander named Curiosity will make a daring landing on Mars. After $2.5 billion dollars and eight months of space flight, Curiosity’s mission will now hang on a mere seven minutes of intricately sequenced activity to slow the 5000 pound craft from its blistering 13,000 … READ MORE…

The Sunday Sermon: Vaya Con Dios

Vaya Con Dios (Bi-Lingual Service) Saint Paul’s Cathedral, San Diego Proper 7B (RCL); June 24, 2012 Scott Richardson + Gracious God, Let these words be more than words and give us the spirit of Jesus. Amen. I don’t speak much Spanish but I know what the words “Vaya con Dios” mean – go with God. … READ MORE…

The Sunday Sermon: Some things are better not understood

Trinity Sunday/Year B   Isaiah 6:1-8   Romans 8:12-17   John 3:1-17   Today is Trinity Sunday, that blessed day in which we are asked to contemplate the meaning and reality of the Trinity, while praying at the same time the preacher will not go on about it indefinitely.  Rest assured, I feel the same way—I don’t want to … READ MORE…

The Sunday Sermon: In the Power of the Spirit (Pentecost)

Sermon – Pentecost – May 27, 2012  St. Paul’s Cathedral, San Diego, Ca. The Rev. Canon Richard Lief Acts 2:1-21; Psalm 104:25-25, 37; Romans 8:22-27; John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15 Come Holy Spirit, our souls inspire, and lighten with celestial fire. Your blessed unction from above is comfort, life, and fire of love. Amen We are here … READ MORE…