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Genesis 22:1-14
Proper 8A
As we walk along with God, we all go through tough times. Many Christians handle tough times with the following theological framework. Satan will use these tough times to tempt us, to try to move us away from God, so that we attempt to make our own blessing. God will use these tough times to…
Psalm 69:7-10, (11-15), 16-18
Proper 7A
If this were a typical year, an ordinary summer season, probably not too many preachers would gravitate to the somewhat plaintive, somewhat brooding 69th Psalm. In the Year A Lectionary for this particular year, this also falls on Father’s Day for those who observe this. It’s getting to be summer, vacation season, a time for…
Genesis 21:8-21
Proper 7A
During Ordinary Time in the church’s calendar, we are encouraged in our walk with the God who has done great things for us. The opening line from Charles Dicken’s masterpiece, A Tale of Two Cities, perfectly summarizes a particularly poignant time in Abraham’s walk with God. “It was the best of times, it was the…
Psalm 100
Proper 6A
It’s such a perky psalm. So upbeat. It’s a call for the whole cosmos to sing as one. One big happy choir entering God’s gates with thanksgiving and praise. Well, maybe it’s just me in early June 2020 but perky is not the mood one finds in most of the world right now. COVID-19 and…
Genesis 18:1-15, (21:1-7)
Proper 6A
We are only two Sundays into Ordinary Time, having concluded our celebration of the great festivals of the faith with Pentecost Sunday. So, it might seem a bit strange to return to Christmas today, but indulge me for a moment. It doesn’t take a brilliant biblical scholar to see parallels between this story of Sarah…
Psalm 8
Trinity Sunday A
Matthew 28, 2 Corinthians 13, and Genesis 1 are the other Trinity Sunday readings in the Year A Lectionary, and they each make a certain amount of Trinitarian sense. The first two passages explicitly mention Father (God), Son, and Holy Spirit. Genesis 1 is a bit more difficult but you can make it work. Although…
Genesis 1:1-2:4a
Trinity Sunday A
As we come to the end of the great celebrations of the church year and begin Ordinary Time, the RCL takes a Sunday to focus on the Trinitarian God who has done these great things. The readings from the Gospels and from the Epistles are clearly Trinitarian, the first naming the Triune God in connection…
Psalm 104:24-34, 35b
Pentecost A
Probably Psalm 104:30 is the primary reason why this psalm is assigned in the Year A Lectionary for Pentecost Sunday. And probably this fits overall, but we have to admit that in those translations in which the word “spirit” is capitalized in verse 30—and in other psalms—we are being told by the translators to think…
Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35
Easter 7A
Most of the time when the Psalms start to go on and on about God’s scattering enemies and crushing foes, the Revised Common Lectionary politely has us hopscotch right over such sentiments to focus on the nicer, gentler sentiments of praise and thanksgiving. Most of the time if the Lectionary assigns verses 1-6 and 12-25…
Psalm 66:8-20
Easter 6A
What is this COVID-19 season for us? A source of lament? A time of testing? Ten years from now, how will we look back on this time? As one of the worst seasons of our lives that we are so amazingly glad is well behind us, or as a time for which we manage to…
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