Lectionary: Nov. 1, Year A 2014 through Jan. 31, Year B 2015
All Saints’ Day, Year A – November 1, 2014
Revelation 7:9-17
Popular culture seems to be increasingly drawn to depictions of life after death. The popularity of books like Heaven is For Real and Proof of Heaven would suggest so anyway. Revelation talks in symbolism and metaphor about a life which cannot be readily (or at least accurately) conveyed through popular media. This reading from Revelation suggests something entirely different about life hereafter. One should also, I think, be careful how one identifies the white-robed multitude coming from the great ordeal. While it might make pastoral sense to identify all the faithful departed as among them, this seems a departure from the text. Instead, they seem to be more closely identified with martyrs.
Psalm 34:1-10, 22
The Psalm selection for the day is the ancient Psalm appointed for the Gradual on All Saints’ Day (Timete Dominum). The focal point of the ancient use is verse 9. The Gradual usually included verse 10b and held verse 15, “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry” as a focal point. The Lectionary gives a pastoral nod toward the commemoration of the faithful departed by including verse 22 in place of verse 15.
1 John 3:1-3
John writes of the second coming of Jesus, at which time the children of God will be revealed to be like Jesus in his resurrected state. John does not attempt to speculate on what we will be like, but rather on the quality of relationship we will have with Jesus. We will be like him, whatever it is that he will be like. We will be pure, as he is pure (see the subsequent verses in chapter 3). Again, it seems that the Biblical testimony runs counter to any popular depiction of eternal life, even promoting ambiguity over speculation.
Matthew 5:1-12
As with the Revelation text, the Lectionary here is not likely to speak pastorally to the average experience of loss or death. Instead, the Gospel chosen for the day seems to focus on the persecuted and reviled, those who met personal loss for the sake of the Gospel. There are countless throngs of those who each deserve a day of commemoration, but whose stories have not made it onto any official Church calendar.
Proper 26, Year A – November 2, 2014
Track 1
Joshua 3:7-17
The last time we read from Track 1, the narrative concluded with the death of Moses. Joshua assumed leadership of the Israelites. Here, God repeats the miracle of separating the water in order to move the Israelites across the Jordan.
Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37
This Psalm recounts how frequently God answered the prayers of the Israelites as they moved toward the land that God promised. Especially important is the recollection that God turned the river into dry land (verse 33).
Track 2
Micah 3:5-12
Micah preaches against the hypocrisy of his contemporary prophets, priests, and rulers, warning them of the coming judgment from God.
Psalm 43
The Psalmist begs God to vindicate him that he might be brought to the altar of God and praise God. He speaks to his own soul, and encourages it to hope in God.
1 Thessalonians 2:9-13
Paul writes of the character of his evangelism to the Thessalonians. It was gentle, not burdensome or presumptuous of their hospitality. Paul is thankful that when they received the Gospel, they did not receive it as if it were a human thing but as if it were God’s own word. This fits with Paul’s earlier characterization of their work in Thessalonica (see 2:1-8).
Matthew 23:1-12
Like Micah, Jesus has harsh words for the leaders of the people. He promises the scribes and Pharisees that those who attempt to ascend now will be brought low later.
Proper 27, Year A – November 9, 2014
Track 1
Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
The Lectionary skips ahead, eliminating the narrative from almost the entirety of the Book of Joshua. In chapter 24, Joshua is at the end of his life. His last act as leader is to gather the people together to commit to serving God alone. They make a covenant at Shechem. One might wonder whether they did so primarily because of the gratitude in remembering what God had done, or because of the remembrance of God’s character: holy, jealous, unforgiving, and destructive (24:19-20). What motivates people to repent and commit to serving God?
Psalm 78:1-7
Psalm 78 asks us to remember God’s great deeds and to tell them to our children, that they might set their hope on God. The Psalmist, in this case, answers the question posed in the previous entry.
Track 2
Wisdom of Solomon 6:12-16
Wisdom is depicting as always making herself known to those who desire her. There does not seem to be any effort needed apart from having one’s desire aimed at Wisdom. In combination with the Gospel parable, one might wonder whether the wise have received wisdom because of their appropriate desire, or if Jesus is the Wisdom that appears to those who desire. It seems that the Lectionary parallel here asks us to see Jesus and Wisdom as equivalent – both appearing to those who have done what is correct in order to be ready.
Amos 5:18-24
Amos presents an alternative reading from Hebrew Scriptures for the day. This passage is famous to most people due to an allusion to it in Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech. For the Gospel today, perhaps we are to note that The Day of the Lord is not a safe thing at all, but a surprising and terrifying occasion. This theme highlights the Lectionary’s shift toward Advent. Many continue to push for a return to a seven-week Advent (see http://theadventproject.org/).
Wisdom of Solomon 6:17-20
Again, the desire for Wisdom is what sets individuals on the path toward God and immortality.
Psalm 70
The Psalmist pleads with God not to delay in helping. While we wait for a time that Scripture tells us is unknowable, it is still quite faithful to pray for the quick arrival of that moment of final deliverance.
1 Thessalonians
The proximity to All Saints’ and All Souls’ might have the preacher tempted to focus on the dead as the highlight of this passage. Instead, the dead presented the context of a pastoral crisis to Paul as he wrote to his people in Thessalonica. It gave Paul the occasion to paint a picture of what he believed would happen at the end of the age.
Matthew 25:1-13
Like the other lections in Track 2, this passage is largely focused on the return of the bridegroom, Jesus. While no one knows the day and the hour, nevertheless, the wise have a task at hand. They are to not only to prepare, but also to go out in search of the bridegroom. There is an internal focus as we prepare ourselves in prayer, in worship, and in study. However, we have an equal responsibility to go into the world and seek Christ in all that we encounter. Service, mission, and evangelism all stem from this action of the faithful who wait on the Lord.
Proper 28, Year A – November 16, 2014
Judges 4:1-7
The Israelites are punished for doing what is evil in the sight of God. God has mercy, and delivers the Israelites, under the leadership of Deborah, from Sisera. As the story continues from here, Sisera’s army is totally defeated at the battle. Later, Jael will kill Sisera by driving a tent peg through his temple. In addition to her abilities as a judge, Deborah is listed as a prophetess. She’s a striking figure of leadership.
Psalm 123
The Psalmist begs for God’s mercy, having had enough of scorn and contempt. The eyes of the people look to the heavens for mercy.
Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18
Zephaniah presents a particularly violent end on the Day of the Lord. On that day, God will punish those who “rest complacently on their dregs…” (1:12). This might be tied to the parable in the Gospel reading for the day.
Psalm 90:1-8, (9-11), 12
The Psalmist calls us to remember both the frailty of our human condition as well as the fierceness of God’s anger. The Psalmist also notes the wisdom in understanding who we are in comparison to God. By numbering our days and yet contemplating God’s infinite and eternal being, we can gain wisdom.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Paul continues to teach on the coming of the day of the Lord. He indicates that Christians, as children of the light, should not fall asleep as others do. Instead, they should put on faith, hope, and love as armor as they prepare for the final acts of salvation.
Matthew 25:14-30
At first glance, this parable seems out of place given the thematic thrust of the Lectionary lately. We have a tendency to read this as instructive about our lives of discipleship and stewardship, but less so about the nature of the kingdom. In the current context, however, we must pay close attention to indicators like verse 19’s beginning phrase: “After a long time.” This parable pushes us toward the expectation of our master’s return after a long time. We should anticipate a settling of accounts; we should look forward to being invited into the joy of the master if we treated the master’s gifts with appropriate stewardship. It is only the servant who acts of out cowardice (because of the servant’s perception of the master) who is considered “worthless”.
Reign of Christ, Proper 29, Year A – November 23, 2014
Track 1
Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
Ezekiel introduces the day’s theme of God as a shepherd gathering his flock. The pastoral imagery put forth is lovely, especially as God seeks the lost and binds the injured. However, God judges between the sheep and chooses to destroy the fat and strong. Only the lean sheep remain, and for them, God sets David as a shepherd.
Psalm 100
The Psalmist reminds us that we are the sheep of God’s pasture and recalls the quality of God the shepherd. This Psalm is known as the Jubilate and has been a popular ritual component in Christianity since at least the Medieval period. Earlier, its ritual use was most likely in the Temple as worshippers prepared to enter.
Track 2
Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
See above.
Psalm 95:1-7a
The only difference between the two tracks for this feast is the choice of Psalm. This portion of Psalm 95 has a similar function as the Jubilate from the perspective of the Church, though it has perhaps been even more popular as an introductory canticle. The language of Psalm 95 is particularly powerful as call to worship.
Ephesians 1:15-23
In a departure from the pastoral judgment theme of Ezekiel is the Christology that is present in this passage from Ephesians. Christ is above all and head over all things. But, the writer is careful to put this in its appropriate context as part of the story of Christ’s crucifixion and death.
Matthew 25:31-46
When Christ returns to reign, he will judge people as a shepherd judges sheep and goats. One’s status at this time will depend upon one’s contribution toward justice in his life. Those who did not care for the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, or the imprisoned will “go away into eternal punishment” (25:46). It is important to note that the word used for punishment only appears twice in the whole of the New Testament, here and at 1 John 4:18. This is the only occasion in the New Testament in which the punishment is called “eternal”. This fact forces us to consider how we understanding “eternal punishment”. This becomes all the more complicated given the variety of conceptions that accompany the Greek word, aionios, which is normally (but not exclusively) translated “eternal”. See RT France’s commentary, The Gospel of Matthew (NINCT, 966) for a brief synopsis of the arguments around this punishment.
Thanksgiving Day, Year A – November 27, 2014
Deuteronomy 8:7-18
As the Israelites are brought into a new land of God’s promise, they are told not to forget God and God’s works. Forgetting is not seen as an absent of memory, but as the decision to rebel against God’s commandments or to take credit for the blessings of this life.
Psalm 65
Praise is due to God who does great deeds. In verse 1, note that praise is set in an apparent parallelism with the performing of vows.
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
In recognition of God’s abundant gifts, we are to be generous and thankful. But Paul exhorts the giver not to do so out of compulsion or obligation, but as a “cheerful” giver.
Luke 17:11-19
This passage is more ambiguous in its language use than we might like. It appears that the power of thanksgiving is the difference between receiving a ritual cleansing only for the nine lepers or a healing that leads to wholeness and salvation for the one.
The First Sunday of Advent, Year B – November 30, 2014
Isaiah 64:1-9
These verses from the closing chapters of Isaiah hold together the themes of Advent: the appearing of God and the judgment that is to come. Here, Isaiah pleads that God come down from heaven, and imagines what will happen to Creation should that happen. It is of note that Isaiah expects Go to do what God has done before in appearing, in forming, and in forgiving. Those things the people have experienced before give us insight into the future.
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
Portions of this Psalm appear in Advent every year. The theme of restoration and the shining of God’s face seem to be particularly appropriate for the season. The plea for God to stir up God’s might and come to save us, should also support the prayers of the Church at this time.
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
God’s grace, made known in Jesus, supports us as we wait for the final revealing of Jesus Christ. We are not left wanting in this time, but have God’s own strength and spiritual gifts showered upon us.
Mark 13:24-37
As in the way that Isaiah understands more deeply the future due to his understanding of the past, Jesus uses a fig tree to help his disciples understand the coming of the Son of Man. The fig tree gives the lesson about how one might know that the coming of the Son of Man is near. The disciples, and the community of Mark, are to understand that their suffering is a part of the sequence of the imminent return of Jesus.
The Second Sunday of Advent, Year B – December 7, 2014
Isaiah 40:1-11
The classic Advent text from Isaiah is perhaps best remembered as the text of Johann Olearius hymn. The message is one of comfort and hope. Still, the collection of imperatives is as powerful as the message itself: Comfort, speak/cry/lift the voice/proclaim, make straight, and see. To hear those as imperatives for the Church seems like a task appropriate for Advent.
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
There are more words of comfort and hope from the Psalmist in the selection for the day. The imagery of righteousness and peace kissing is particularly striking. The Hebrew does not necessarily connote sexuality with regard to kissing, but rather intimacy and closeness. “Kiss” is paired with “meet” in the parallelism, intensifying the notion of how close the personified qualities/states will be.
2 Peter 3:8-15a
The epistle remind us that God is not slow about God’s promises, thought it might appear so. Instead, God is delaying the day of the Lord in order to save more. 2 Peter takes up the theme of 1 Thessalonians, even mentioning that Paul had written concerning much of the same.
Mark 1:1-8
The beginning of the Gospel of Mark features John the Baptist’s taking up of the imperatives in Isaiah 40. Mark understood John to be the voice in the wilderness. Isaiah’s Hebrew text most likely notes that the wilderness is the place of the place, but not necessarily the voice. Mark quotes from the LXX which is much more ambiguous.
Third Sunday of Advent, Year B – December 14, 2014
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Normally, the words of Isaiah 61:1-2 are remembered as spoken by Jesus (see Luke 4:18-19). These do not seem well aligned with the John the Baptist scene from the Gospel of John, which has been selected for today. Perhaps the link is that John deferred to the one who would come to take on this ministry.
Psalm 126
The Psalmist remembers a time in which God has restored the fortunes of Zion, and asks that God do so again. John’s message is that one is coming to restore the fortunes of Zion, and that the time of that coming is now.
Luke 1:46b-55
Another odd lectionary choice is the inclusion of the Magnificat on this Sunday. While beautiful, it is more appropriately located in the lectionary for Advent 4. There is potential, however, to use the Magnificat on both Sundays and allow it to provide the structure for a preaching series. It is certainly the case that John’s message is about the one who will bring fulfilment to Mary’s words.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Paul once again prays for his congregation in Thessalonica to be sanctified that they might be prepared for the eventual coming of Jesus Christ.
John 1:6-8, 19-28
Each of the Gospels has a scene in which John directs attention back to Jesus and away from himself. In the Fourth Gospel, John the Baptist identifies himself with the voice from Isaiah 40.
Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year B – December 21, 2014
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Nathan carries a prophecy to David that God will establish his house, kingdom, and throne forever.
Luke 1:46b-55
Mary’s song (Magnificat) illustrates God’s work to reverse the fortunes of the downcast. God has looked favorably on one as lowly as Mary, while casting down the rich and powerful. Note that in the Greek text, each line begins with its verb: this song is entirely oriented around the actions of God.
Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26
This Psalm recalls, in liturgical poetry, the promise made to David seen in 2 Samuel 7. Here, an additional, eternal establishment is God’s steadfast love.
Romans 16:25-27
Luke 1:26-38
Luke’s Gospel is the only one to include the Annunciation. The primary focus of the text is the work of God, but there is ample opportunity to consider Mary’s response. Surely, by the time Mary visits Elizabeth, she is full of joy. However, in this passage, we might wonder if her response “Here am I… let it be with my according to your word” might not include some resignation. That tension will be realize more after Jesus’ birth, when Simeon reminds Mary that a sword will pierce her own soul also (Luke 2:25).
Nativity of the Lord, Year B, December 24 & 25, 2013
Christmas I (Christmas Eve)
Isaiah 9:2-7
This is one of the beloved and well-known texts for Christmas, especially Christmas Eve. The people who walked in darkness have seen the great light (the one asked for in Psalm 80 last week?). These people have been released from their great burden, and the peace that has been promised in the lections for the last several weeks is realized.
Psalm 96
Sing a new song and tell of God’s salvation. Declare the characteristics of God: strength and glory, mighty works and saving deeds.
Titus 2:11-14
Titus picks up and joins two of the great Advent themes, the birth of Jesus (the grace of God which has appeared) and the coming of Jesus (the awaited for manifestation of the glory of God).
Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)
This is Luke’s birth narrative. The Lectionary gives the option of extended it to verse 20, which would overlap with the propers for Christmas II (see below). This might be a worthwhile option, nonetheless. Always of interest in this story is how the lowly shepherds are the first to hear the proclamation that the Messiah has been born. The angels are heard singing the Gloria, which the Church has picked up as its song of praise ever since.
Christmas II (Christmas Morning)
Isaiah 62:6-12
Many will be familiar with the promise of Isaiah 40 that God will be coming to God’s people on a highway made in the wilderness. Isaiah 62 recalls that theme, noting that salvation is coming on such a highway. Salvation comes like an army returning from a victorious battle, and when it arrive it will change the name of Jerusalem to “Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken”.
Psalm 97
Praise to the great and powerful God who is the king. A particularly poetic section of this Psalm in the context of Christmas is the divine/agricultural passive verb in verse 11. Light does not dawn on its own accord, it is scattered or sown by divine agency.
Titus 3:4-7
Titus delivers a great Christmas proclamation: Jesus, the manifestation of the lovingkindness of God, has saved us by grace.
Luke 2: (1-7), 8-20
Assuming the Christmas Eve service has already read Luke 2:1-14, the lectionary allows for the skipping of verses 1 through 7 here. The latter part of the reading gives more detail about the precarious situation of the birth of Jesus, risky as all births are. It also gives more details about the response of the shepherds, who immediately begin to spread the Good News.
Christmas III (Christmas Morning II)
Isaiah 52:7-10
This section of Isaiah comes just before the so-called Song of the Suffering Servant. The passage refers to the restoration and redemption of God’s people, and the strong works of God. However, in the background is the knowledge that this will come at a cost. Christmas is a time of great joy, but even it looks forward to the death and Resurrection of Jesus.
Psalm 98
This Psalm has appeared many times in the previous weeks (see above). At Christmas, the focus might shift toward to first two verses: God has done marvelous things; God has made known God’s victory; god has revealed God’s vindication.
Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12)
Hebrews counts Jesus as the greatest way in which God has communicated to Creation. The Epistle goes on to speak of Jesus in theologically rich language. Jesus is the exact imprint of God’s very being, who sustains all things. Note the parallel theology to Colossians (see Reign of Christ, above). Hebrews weaves this beautiful theology from a variety of sources, mostly from sundry Psalms.
John 1:1-14
This is the so-called, prologue to the Gospel of John fits well alongside Hebrews. The language about Jesus is quite elevated. Both proclaim that the fundamental Christmas message is that Jesus, who is above all, chose to become flesh and dwell among us.
The First Sunday After Christmas Day, Year B, December 28, 2015
Isaiah 61:10-62:3
There are two themes here that lead to theological statements for the Season of Christmas. One theme is that of God bringing forth righteousness and praise, like shoots from the ground. This probably connects best with Psalm 148, where God is seen as the master of Creation and the one bringing forth a “horn”. Secondly, though, is the notion of the garments of salvation. Paul will speak of our being clothed in Christ (Romans 13:14, Galatians 3:27). Later theologians will discuss this in terms of imputed righteousness.
Psalm 148
All creation praises God for raising up a “horn”, probably a horn of salvation (see Psalm 18:2, 2 Sam. 22:3). Luke will remember this term in Zachariah’s Song . Zechariah will speak of a “mighty savior” using this same term for horn.
Galatians 4:4-7
Paul lays out the redemptive acts of God’s sending Jesus for our adoption. Important to the argument is the notion of the “fullness” of time. There are questions remaining about the concept that Paul is trying to convey, but the simple language seems to hint at Paul’s understanding that each sequential, chronological event in the history of the world was a necessary step toward the Incarnation. Compare this with his understanding of kairos, seen in passages like Romans 3:26; 5:6; 8:18; 11:5; 13:11.
Matthew 2:13-23
Joseph is told to take his newly changed family to Egypt. In the midst of this miraculous birth, Herod, in his anger and paranoia, has innocent children murdered. Like Hebrews, we remember that the sinful desires of those still walking in darkness can lead to great suffering and death.
Holy Name of Jesus, Year B, January 1, 2015
Numbers 6:22-27
This is known as the Aaronic or Priestly blessing.
Psalm 8
The Psalmist asks the question, “What are human beings that you are mindful of them?” However, the Psalm delivers no immediate answer. Instead, it only remembers that God has indeed been mindful of humans. This is seen in Incarnation more so than anywhere else.
Galatians 4:4-7
Paul recalls to the Galatians that Jesus’ birth happened according to the law and according to the customs of a particular community, in order that all of us might be adopted as Children of God.
Philippians 2:5-11
The Philippian hymn makes note of the kenotic work of Jesus. Jesus empties himself of glory to take the form of humans, and will eventually be given the name that is above all names. St. Athanasius puts this work in its salvation setting, writing “For he was made man that we might be made God” (Athanasius, On the Incarnation, 54).
Luke 2:15-21
This passage covers much of the same text read at Christmas, with the addition of the circumcision of Jesus. For many years, the Church remembered this day as the “Feast of the Circumcision”. The shift toward remembering the naming instead of the circumcision is recent. The Epistle choices for the day show a tension between highlighting the name of Jesus and highlighting the Incarnation of Jesus and the participation of Jesus’ family in the customs of Israel. To my mind, it matters that Jesus’ family participated in the rituals prescribed, it makes his story that much more human. Jesus was born into a particular context, as are we all. Jesus became fully human, and that meant participation in the world.
New Year’s Day, Year B – January 1, 2015
As noted in previous years, the Lectionary gives the option of observing New Year’s Day in place of the Feast of the Holy Name. This commentator advises against this set of lections; it is an undesirable option. Secular holidays do not trump the great feasts of the Church, and the focus of this period of time is squarely on Jesus’ Incarnation. Additionally, the Church year begins with Advent 1, and does not recognize a new year beginning with January 1.
The Gospel selected for New Year’s Day, Matthew 25:31-46 was commented on above (see Reign of Christ, Proper 29 on November 23, 2014). The other lessons for the day ask the preacher to address the Church’s notion of time in a faithful way, recognizing that God is in control of all time (first and last, and everything in between).
Second Sunday After Christmas Day, Year B – January 4, 2015
Jeremiah 31:7-14
In Jeremiah’s longer section, called the Book of Consolations, we find the first lesson of the day, a celebration of the homecoming of God’s people. Salvation has been realized, presented in a simple past tense. Now begins the slower process of gathering the flock, which is yet to come (or, at least, not yet complete). The theological push from the Lectionary asks us to recognize the incarnation as the moment of salvation, inaugurated. This follows the Eastern (Orthodox) position, looking to the Incarnation as the first step in the process of reconciliation between God and humanity.
Sirach 24:1-12
As an alternative to the Jeremiah reading, the Lectionary provides a reading from the apocryphal text, The Wisdom of Jesus, son of Sirach or Ecclesiasticus. Here, Wisdom recalls her own story of origin. She recalls being spoken by the Most High, and covering the earth like a mist. Though dwelling in heaven, she was commanded to dwell, to tabernacle, in the people of Israel. There she took root. This text might help the average parishioner understand the language of the Johannine prologue more so than the text from Jeremiah.
Psalm 147:12-20
The Psalm of the day was selected for its references to the sending forth of God’s word. Note the different actions of the word once it begins interacting with the world.
Wisdom of Solomon 10:15-21
As an alternative to the Psalm selected for the day, the Lectionary provides another selection from an apocryphal text, The Wisdom of Solomon. In the larger section of the work, the author describes the history of Wisdom’s deeds. In this selection, the author remembers , in poetic form, the saving work of Wisdom in the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt.
Ephesians 1:3-14
Ephesians has a decidedly “high” Christology in its depiction of Christ’s saving work before the foundation of the world. Ephesians asks those who were not among the first to set their hope on Christ to remember that God has chosen them as well to be brought into God’s redemptive work through Jesus Christ.
John 1:(1-9), 10-18
The text for the Prologue of John might have been heard in part by those attending services on Christmas morning. If not, it is best for it to be heard in its entirety here for the sake of clarity. In any case, the focal point of the selection for the day is in verse 14’s “the Word became flesh and lived among us.” This is dense theological language, thought illuminated by the inclusion of the Wisdom literature selected for the day. An easy-to-digest summary of the Incarnation and its importance to salvation comes from St. Athanasius: “He was made man that we might be made God” (On the Incarnation, section 54).
The Epiphany of the Lord, Year B – January 6, 2015
Isaiah 60:1-6
This song of Isaiah has been associated with the Epiphany for centuries. It recalls the way God’s light is revealed to the gentiles, the feast having once been called “The Epiphany of our Lord to the Gentiles”. The song notes that foreign dignitaries will come to visit the Lord with gold and frankincense.
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
The Psalm also picks up on the theme of kinds coming to pay tribute to God’s king, in this case Solomon. The superscript seems to imply that this Psalm was written by David for Solomon. It is understood here as a prophecy concerning Jesus and the magi.
Ephesians 3:1-12
The Epistle focuses on the universality of God’s revelation in Jesus, the primary theme of The Epiphany. This revelation brings the gentiles into the promises of Christ.
Matthew 2:1-12
This is the story of the wise men bringing gifts to Jesus. Gold and frankincense relate very clearly to Isaiah (see above). Myrrh is a gift often associated with Jesus burial. One might note that myrrh is also associated with royalty (see Psalm 45:8). Upon meeting the newborn king, the lives of the magi are changed as are their circumstances in the world: they must travel home by another road. Even in communities that do not favor incense in their worship, this is an opportunity to use sensory experience to increase the value of the Church experience. Myrrh gum and Frankincense tears can be obtained easily and provide an olfactory complement for today’s lessons.
The Baptism of the Lord, Year B – January 11, 2015
Genesis 1:1-5
Following on the heels of the Prologue to John the previous Sunday, the Genesis 1 account of Creation could be quite powerful. Still, something is left to be desired in the NRSV translation of ruach as “wind” in verse 2. Though a possible translation, it certainly diminishes the connection to the action of God’s Spirit in the Baptism of Jesus. It would likewise be a possible translation of Mark 1:10 to depict the wind of God descending upon Jesus, but that would be quite unsatisfying.
Psalm 29
The repetition of the imperative “ascribe” intensifies the call of the Psalm. The same can be said of the reference to the “voice” of God. With each verse, the value of the term is expanded. As the voice of God is heard once again in the Gospel reading, it reaches its fullness for today’s reading.
Acts 19:1-7
It is a long-standing tradition to baptize new Christians on this feast day. But, even in the Early Church, the baptism that Jesus underwent was seen only as a moment of remembrance in the experience of the sacrament of baptism. The account of Acts gives aid to preachers who must draw a link between the Baptism of Jesus and the sacrament of baptism.
Mark 1:4-11
What will likely draw the attention of most preachers it the insistence of the Markan account on a secret declaration of Jesus’ identity. While there is nothing to indicate that God spoke to Jesus alone, excluding others from the revelation, that notion fits better with the so-called, Messianic Secret of Mark. For the sake of linking the readings of the day, the preacher might also consider the actions of the various persons of the Trinity at the Baptism.
Second Sunday After the Epiphany, Year B – January 18, 2015
1 Samuel 3:1-10, (11-20)
As indicated by the optional nature of verses 11-20, the focal point of the selection is the calling of Samuel, not the message that he was given. Samuel mistakes the voice of God for the voice of Eli, because the word of God had not yet been revealed to Samuel.
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
This Psalm’s beautiful language recalls the scope and intimacy of God’s knowledge as it pertains to each individual person.
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Though, through the grace of God, all things might be “lawful”, by no means are all things beneficial. Paul uses sexual ethics to elaborate on his point, but the particulars might distract us from the larger point. The individual decisions one makes about his or her own body, do impact the Body of Christ. In Paul’s view, none of us can make individual decisions under the presumption that our decisions affect only ourselves.
John 1:43-51
Nathanael’s response to Jesus might indicate that Jesus’ calling of him displayed a more intimate knowledge than having simply seen him. The Lectionary might have us understand that sort of knowledge as similar to the knowledge of God described in Psalm 139. More important, it seems, is the ongoing revelation of Jesus, a theme of Epiphany. Here Jesus tells Nathanael that he will see angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man, a clear reference to Genesis 28. To be sure, however, the Season of Epiphany also carries the themes of calling and discipleship.
Third Sunday After the Epiphany, Year B – January 25, 2015
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
The story of Jonah is easy enough to summarize in whole during a sermon, though most people will be more familiar with the first scene than the call for Nineveh’s repentance. It is certainly worth reminding listeners of the end of the story, which they presumably heard on Sunday, September 21, 2014 (Proper 20, Year A).
Psalm 62:5-12
The Psalmist names God as a refuge and rock, in which one is to put one’s trust. In the last verse, the steadfast love of God is remembered in the same breath as God’s justice.
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
The semi-continuous reading of First Corinthians continues from last week. Paul’s expectation of the parousia and end of the age determines the attitudes he expects from believers. Naturally, his expectations will shift as he continues to wait for the passing away of this age.
Mark 1:14-20
John calls for repentance and for a belief in the good news. Jesus calls his Simon, Andrew, James, and John to leave their ways behind and follow Jesus. The two stories together help illustrate the variety of ways in which citizens of the kingdom must respond to the Gospel: repenting and following. In Hebrew, the concepts are more closely related as a turning away (from sin or from some other path). The Greek words present here are not as closely related, but the concepts might be.
