Welcome to Sermons from First Presbyterian Church Palo Alto. Each week we share a recording of the Sunday sermon, offering theologically progressive, social justice–oriented reflections grounded in Scripture and what’s happening in our lives and in the world. Most weeks the sermon is preached by our pastor, the Rev. Tom Harris, and from time to time we’re joined by guest preachers.
What does it mean for adult children to honor their parents at the end of life?
Modern medicine allows people to live longer than ever before, but often with declining health and increasing care needs. As a result, caring for aging parents has become one of the greatest challenges many families will face.
In this sermon from July 12, 2026, Rev. Tom Harris reflects on his own experience of caring for an aging and dying parent. He invites us to face the realities of aging and death honestly—not only for the sake of our parents, but also for those who will one day care for us.
When the Fifth Commandment was first written, honoring one’s parents may not have meant loving them. Yet by accepting our parents’ mortality and the suffering that may accompany it, we may discover new and deeper ways to love them.