Lectionary 12 (B) — Job 38:1–11 My father died in 1991, when I was ten. (That sentence is designed to make most of you feel old.) Thirty years. Sometimes I try to drag up memories, and it’s a struggle. There are moments that rise to the top, though. And they all seem to have a […]
Lectionary 11 (B) — Ezekiel 17:22-24, Mark 4:26-34 Today’s Old Testament reading helps us understand the purpose of prophecy. Many think the prophets are about foretelling the future. But today’s prophecy proves otherwise, because Ezekiel’s prophecy doesn’t come true. Before 600 BC, the Israelites were mostly ignorant of the outside world. Sure, a few trade […]
Lectionary 10 (B) — Genesis 3:8–15, Mark 3:20–35 Joan is one of those people who takes a LOT of patience to be around. If you meet her today, you might think it’s because of the memory loss and dementia that’s set in and become such a big part of her existence now. But the truth […]
Festival of the Holy Trinity (B) — Isaiah 6:1–8 The rabbis tell us that God in scripture is like a beautiful, precious diamond, cut expertly by the finest jeweler, with seventy faces. You could look into one and find yourself lost in it, staring forever and trying desperately to take in all of its beauty. […]
Festival of Pentecost Genesis 11:1–9. Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, […]
Sixth Sunday of Easter (B) — Acts 10:44–48 I learned something new this week, and it’s cool enough that I want to share it with you. To make sense of the world, we need to divide our experience up into different categories. Man and woman, old and young, big and small, red and green. The […]
Fifth Sunday of Easter (B) — Acts 8:26–40 Sometimes, the readings for Sunday worship have words that are difficult to pronounce. I’m not saying this because of our reader today; she did a great job. But this Sunday, three years ago, I was preaching in a congregation in New Jersey. The pastor’s chair was WAY […]
Fourth Sunday of Easter (B) — John 10:11–18 A few years ago, the New England bishop’s office offered leadership training for congregations, and the churches I led joined their second cohort. One month, our homework was simple. Go out into public places and eavesdrop. Sit in a restaurant or bar, and just listen to what […]
Third Sunday of Easter (B) — Acts 3:12–19 I’m always a little startled that the crowd doesn’t turn on Peter immediately when he preaches to them in today’s reading from Acts. He’s very accusatory and direct. Pilate “decided to release [Jesus], but YOU rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer […]
Second Sunday of Easter (B) — John 20:19–31 “Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul.” I wish Acts described Christian community today. But it’s mostly an ideal.