The texts for Sunday, December 11, 2011: Isaiah 61:1–4, 8–11; Luke 1:46b–55; 1 Thessalonians 5:16–24; and John 1:6–8, 19–28 “Then they said to him, ‘Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ He said, ‘I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,ContinueContinue reading “A Voice Crying Out”
Category Archives: Sparks from the Lectionary
Just the beginning
The texts for Sunday, December 4, 2011: Isaiah 40:1–11; Psalm 85:1–2, 8–13; 2 Peter 3:8–15a; and Mark 1:1–8 “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”-Mark 1:1 I think my favorite Gospel is the Gospel according to Mark. I’m really fond of John, too, but I think I like MarkContinueContinue reading “Just the beginning”
God’s Just Playfulness
The texts for November 20, 2011: Ezekiel 34:11–16, 20–24; Psalm 95:1–7a; Ephesians 1:15–23; and Matthew 25:31–46 “For the LORD is our God, and we are the people of God’s pasture and the sheep of God’s hand.” – Psalm 95: 7 I love this psalm. I think it is my favorite part of morning prayer, set beautifully to a singableContinueContinue reading “God’s Just Playfulness”
Context is Everything
The texts for Sunday, November 13, 2011: Zephaniah 1:7, 12–18; Psalm 90:1–12; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11; and Matthew 25:14–30 “The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter, the warrior cries aloud there.” – Zephaniah 1:14 It is hard to hear these textsContinueContinue reading “Context is Everything”
Saints Are Us
The texts for Sunday, November 6, 2011: Revelation 7:9–17; Psalm 34:1–10, 22; 1 John 3:1–3; and Matthew 5:1–12 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went … and taught … saying: Blessed are …” – Matthew 5:1-3ish Dorothy Day, a woman who was instrumental in starting the Catholic worker movement and someone who worked tirelessly forContinueContinue reading “Saints Are Us”
A Little Bit of Paul
The texts for October 30, 2011: Jeremiah 31:31–34; Psalm 46; Romans 3:19–28; and John 8:31–36 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” – John 8:36 What do you need to be set free from? It’s easy to be like those listening to Jesus who want to argue that they’ve neverContinueContinue reading “A Little Bit of Paul”
The Heart of God’s Law
The texts for Sunday, October 23, 2011 are: Leviticus 19:1–2, 15–18; Psalm 1; 1 Thessalonians 2:1–8; and Matthew 22:34–46 “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” – Matthew 22:44 Love the Lord your God … Love your neighbor as your self … It’s interesting to me that central to these twoContinueContinue reading “The Heart of God’s Law”
God’s Two Hands
The texts for Sunday, October 16, 2011 are: Isaiah 45:1–7; Psalm 96:1–13; 1 Thessalonians 1:1–10; and Matthew 22:15–22 “I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides me there is no god. I arm you, though you do not know me, so that they may know, from the rising of the sun and fromContinueContinue reading “God’s Two Hands”
Terrifying Love
The texts for Sunday, October 9, 2011 are: Isaiah 25:1–9; Psalm 23; Philippians 4:1–9; and Matthew 22:1–14 “Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you. For you have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm and a shadeContinueContinue reading “Terrifying Love”
Praying for transformation
The texts for Sunday, October 2, 2011 were: Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:7-15; Philippians 3:4b-14; and Matthew 21:33-46. “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces;ContinueContinue reading “Praying for transformation”
Can you imagine, dream, hope, believe?
The texts for Sunday, September 25, 2011 are: Ezekiel 18:1–4, 25–32; Psalm 25:1–9; Philippians 2:1–13; and Matthew 21:23–32. “If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in fullContinueContinue reading “Can you imagine, dream, hope, believe?”
A Continual Reminder…
The texts for Sunday, September 18, 2011 are: Jonah 3:10—4:11; Psalm 145:1–8; Philippians 1:21–30; and Matthew 20:1–16. “The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” – Psalm 145: 8 “for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfastContinueContinue reading “A Continual Reminder…”
It’s not fair
The texts for Sunday, September 11, 2011 (at least the ones that we’re using) are: Jonah 3:1-4:11; Psalm 140; Ephesians 2:1-7 [8-10]; and Luke 10:25-37 “But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord and said, ‘O Lord! Is not this what I said while I was still inContinueContinue reading “It’s not fair”
Broken Community
The texts for Sunday, September 4, 2011 are: Ezekiel 33:7–11; Psalm 119:33–40; Romans 13:8–14; and Matthew 18:15–20. “If another member of the church sins against you…” – Matthew 18:15a The hardest thing about Christian community is other people. So often, people think that Christian communities should be these really great places where everyone loves themContinueContinue reading “Broken Community”
Taking a cue from Jeremiah
“Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail.” – Jeremiah 15: 18 So, this is Jeremiah talking to God. Can you imagine calling God a deceitful brook? A liar? A failure? I’m not exactly sure that I canContinueContinue reading “Taking a cue from Jeremiah”
A Call to Prayer
* The featured image: Christian Franciscan monks and nuns hold a candle procession on 21 December 2007 through an Armenian section in the Church of the Nativity as they walk from Saint Catherine’s Church into the Nativity Church and then down into the ‘Grotto,’ where they pray before the silver star in a niche markingContinueContinue reading “A Call to Prayer”
A Divine Silence
The texts for Sunday, August 7, 2011 are: 1 Kings 19:9–18; Psalm 85:8–13; Romans 10:5–15; and Matthew 14:22–33 “… and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.”- 1Kings 19: 12b-13a As IContinueContinue reading “A Divine Silence”
Supersessionism sucks
The texts for Sunday, July 31st are: Genesis 32:22–31; Psalm 17:1–7, 15; Romans 9:1–5; and Matthew 14:13–21. “They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, whoContinueContinue reading “Supersessionism sucks”
Jabbok Dawn 