The following is a reflection on Mark 1:1-8, the Gospel Lesson appointed for December 3rd, 2011, the second Sunday of Advent, Year B according to the New Revised Common Lectionary. On this site there is also • a reflection on the Hebrew Bible Lesson for the same day, and • a version of the Prayers of the People for Advent 2B. A few weeks ago a group from my parish met up in New York […]
The following is a reflection on Mark 13:24-37, the Gospel Lesson appointed for November 27th, 2011, the First Sunday of Advent, Year B according to the New Revised Common Lectionary. On this site there is also • a reflection on the Hebrew Bible Lesson for the same day, and. • a version of the Prayers of the People for the same day. Really, we’ve lost Advent. Society at large doesn’t even consider “Advent,” if society […]
The following is a reflection on Matthew 25:31-46, the Gospel lesson appointed for November 20th, 2011, Christ the King Sunday, Year A according to the New Revised Common Lectionary. On this site there is also • a reflection on the Psalm for the same day. Jesus talks about salvation in different contexts to different audiences and in different ways throughout the Gospels. Sometimes he’s pretty cryptic. Sometimes he’s a little clearer. Sometimes he speaks in […]
The following is a reflection on Matthew 25:14-30, the Gospel lesson appointed for November 13th, 2011, Proper 28, Year A according to the New Revised Common Lectionary. On this site there is also • a reflection on the Hebrew Bible lesson for the same day. The NRSV, which I reflexively use for sermon prep (along with the ESV), unfortunately gets this text wrong—or at the least it obscures it’s meaning by translating “pistos” as “trustworthy.” […]
The following is a reflection (previously published on this site) on Matthew 5:1-12, the Gospel lesson appointed for All Saint’s Day, Year A, according to the New Revised Common Lectionary. On this site there is also • a reflection on the New Testament Lesson for the same day, and • a Litany for All Saint’s Day. There are certain sections of the Bible that modern Western culture has undoubtedly and unfortunately tamed. These wildly potent […]
The following is a reflection on Matthew 23:1-12, the Gospel lesson appointed for October 30th, 2011 according to the New Revised Common Lectionary. (Proper 26, Year A) On this site there is also • a reflection on the Hebrew Bible Lesson for the same day, and • a version of the Prayers of the People, based on the lessons of the day. In Matthew 23:1-12, Jesus may be hammering the scribes and Pharisees, but what […]
The following is a reflection on Matthew 22:34-46, the Gospel lesson appointed for October 23rd, 2011 according to the New Revised Common Lectionary. (Proper 25, Year A) On this site there is also • a reflection on the Hebrew Bible Lesson for the same day, and • a version of the Prayers of the People, based on the lessons of the day. Twice in Jesus’ ministry we find the odd confluence of lawyers coming to […]
The following is a reflection on Matthew 22:15-22, the Gospel lesson appointed for October 16th, 2011 according to the New Revised Common Lectionary. (Proper 24, Year A) On this site there is also • a reflection on the Hebrew Bible Lesson for the same day, and • a version of the Prayers of the People, based on the lessons of the day. “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things […]
The following is a reflection on Matthew 22:1-14, the Gospel lesson appointed for October 9th, 2011 according to the New Revised Common Lectionary. (Proper 23, Year A) On this site there is also • a reflection on the Hebrew Bible lesson for the same day, and • a version of the Prayers of the People, based on the Canticle of the Sun. I don’t like the translation of “banquet” in Matthew 22. Maybe it worked […]
The following is a reflection on Matthew 21:33-46, the Gospel lesson appointed for October 2nd, 2011 according to the New Revised Common Lectionary. (Proper 22, Year A) On this site there is also • a reflection on the Epistle lesson for the same day, and • a version of the Prayers of the People, based on the lessons of the day. I love how Eugene Peterson’s translation, The Message, begins Psalm 118: “Thank God because […]