(Note: This sermon grew out of my awareness that, much of the time, our attention in church is focused on impressive outcomes and dramatic results. This makes it hard for us to give a priority to things that, while they may lead to our spiritual growth, don’t appear to be very significant. For example, the term “spiritual disciplines” is something […]

Today’s gospel is like the gospel for last Sunday. First we have a parable told by Jesus and, following the parable, we have an allegory in which Jesus explains the meaning of the parable. And in today’s gospel, just like in last week’s, it appears that the early church community had added an allegorical interpretation […]

 
One of my parishioners at St. Gabriel’s in Portland, Oregon was a man named Bill, who had been a country extension agent in Eastern Oregon for 50 years. Bill and his wife moved from Canyon City, Oregon to Beaverton to be closer to their children and grandchildren and Bill and Jean managed to find a […]

(Note: The Gospel and the Epistle (Romans 7:15-25a) for this Sunday seems to challenge many of our society’s ideas about what constitutes true freedom. Seems like the 4th of July weekend is a good time to reflect on what it is that makes us truly free.)

I have to say upfront that this is one of […]