Sermons Preached at Saint Mark's

Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach.… Read More

What kind of origin story is this? We want our founding fathers and mothers to be heroes, don’t we? We want them to be exceptional. We want them to model how we can use our freedom to liberate others and be an example of justice and righteousness to the world – and instead, we get the book of Genesis. … Read More

“Oh, my Gawd. Can we talk?” This is a signature phrase from my friend Julie, a native New Yorker, rabbi, and hospital chaplain. She would proclaim this whenever she was confronted with something really challenging.… Read More

Jesus said to the twelve disciples, “A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master.… Read More

It helps to know the whole story. Otherwise, it’s too easy to turn today’s Gospel into a “gotcha” moment and put Jesus or Matthew, our Gospel writer, on trial for smallness of heart. … Read More

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples.… Read More

Bishop LaBelle has released a pastoral letter on this Trinity Sunday, and he has asked that we read it at all our Sunday services. In the letter, Bishop +Phil offers some theological reflection on the Trinitarian mystery as it relates to a recent decision by our government regarding immigration. His letter is about five minutes long, so I will keep my reflections complimentary and brief.… Read More

What good is a gift if we don’t know it’s ours or what to do with it? On Easter night, Jesus says to his disciples, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you. Receive the Holy Spirit.” Sending implies movement. And yet, 50 days later, they’re still in the same room waiting for further instructions. While we’re dealing with different authors – John in the Gospel vs. Luke in Acts, the question remains: When will the Spirit finally catch fire in them and turn these followers into leaders? More to the point, when will it catch fire in us?… Read More