Texts: First Reading Acts 2:1-21 Psalm 104:24-34, 35b Second Reading Romans 8:22-27 Gospel John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15 Manuscript: In this country, the secular, cultural celebrations of holidays have their own status, often wildly disconnected from the ecclesial or liturgical meaning of the day. Christmas is, of course, the prime example. The cultural forces around Christmas are […]
Texts: First Reading Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 Psalm 1:1-6 Second Reading 1 John 5:9-13 Gospel John 17:6-19 Manuscript: Tell me if you have heard this before: As Christians, should be in the world, but not of the world.” Is that something you have heard before? The saying comes from the King James translation of today’s lectionary passage from John’s Gospel, […]
Texts: First Reading Acts 10:44-48 Psalm 98:1-9 Second Reading 1 John 5:1-6 Gospel John 15:9-17 Manuscript:
Texts: First Reading Acts 8:26-40 Psalm 22:25-31 Second Reading 1 John 4:7-21 Gospel John 15:1-8 Manuscript:
Texts: First Reading Acts 4:5-12 Psalm 23:1-6 Second Reading 1 John 3:16-24 Gospel John 10:11-18 Manuscript:
Texts: First Reading Acts 10:34-43 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 Second Reading 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 Gospel Mark 16:1-8 Manuscript: “They said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” So ends the lectionary for today, and, depending on who you ask, so ends the Gospel of Mark. If you open a bible, most likely you will see a few more paragraphs describing […]
Texts: First Reading Jeremiah 31:31-34 Psalm 51:1-12 Or alternate Psalm Psalm 119:9-16 Second Reading Hebrews 5:5-10 Gospel John 12:20-33 Manuscript: The Lord says, in today’s lection from Jeremiah: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” The Psalmist writes “Create in […]
Texts: First Reading Exodus 20:1-17 Psalm 19:1-14 Second Reading 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 Gospel John 2:13-22 Manuscript: Our lection from 1 Corinthians today begins: “For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18). I know that most, if not all […]
Texts: First Reading Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 Psalm 22:23-31 Second Reading Romans 4:13-25 Gospel Mark 8:31-38 Manuscript: The story of Abraham, Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans, is a story of faith. God’s covenant with Abraham, that he would be the father of multitudes, of many nations, is, Paul says, rooted not in the Law, which would […]
Texts: First Reading Genesis 9:8-17 Psalm 25:1-10 Second Reading 1 Peter 3:18-22 Gospel Mark 1:9-15 Manuscript: There is truly something magical about rainbows. Even understanding the basic science behind them, even being able to create one at will with a prism or the mist setting on a hose attachment does not diminish that magic. Smaller rainbows like those, or […]