Weekly reflections and insights grounded in the lectionary to support preaching and study.
Lectionary blog for Oct. 8 Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:7-15; Philippians 3:4b-14; Matthew 21:33-46 In Isaiah, God says, “I cleared the land, I planted the grapes, I…
Lectionary blog for Oct. 1 Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32; Psalm 25:1-9; Philippians 25:19; Matthew 21:23-32 Sometimes, some people, particularly some people on some finance committees or congregation…
Lectionary blog for Sept. 24 Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost Jonah 3:10-4:11; Psalm 145:1-8; Philippians 1:21-30; Matthew 20:1-16 Whenever a text begins with words like “therefore” or “but” or “nevertheless” or,…
Lectionary blog for Sept. 17 Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost Genesis 50:15-21; Psalm 103:(1-7), 8-13; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35 A few years ago, I heard about an article in the Oakland…
Lectionary blog for Sept. 10 Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost Ezekiel 33:7-11; Psalm 119:33-40; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 18:15-20 This text is about learning to love people, even when they don’t particularly…
Lectionary blog for Sept. 3 Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost Jeremiah 15:15-21; Psalm 26:1-8; Romans 12:9-21; Matthew 16:21-28 I was listening to the comedian George Carlin one night on HBO. He…
Lectionary blog for Aug. 27 Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost Isaiah 51:1-6; Psalm 138; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:13-20 I have often wondered why Jesus decided to give Simon the nickname Rocky,…
Lectionary blog for Aug. 20 Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost Isaiah 56:1, 6-8; Psalm 67; Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32; Matthew 15: (10-20) 21-28 It’s disconcerting to read about Jesus behaving in what…
Lectionary blog for Aug. 13 Tenth Sunday after Pentecost 1 Kings 19:9-18; Psalm 85:8-13; Romans 10:5-15; Matthew 14:22-33 About 20 years ago, the WWJD—“What would Jesus do?”—bracelets were all the…
Lectionary blog for Aug. 6 Ninth Sunday after Pentecost Isaiah 55:1-5; Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:13-21 The first line of our Gospel lesson is “when Jesus heard this.” “This”…
Lectionary blog for July 30 Eighth Sunday after Pentecost 1 Kings 3:5-12, Psalm 119:129-136; Romans 8:26-39; Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 Understanding what Jesus is getting at in all these short parables…
Lectionary blog for July 23 Seventh Sunday after Pentecost Isaiah 44:6-8, Psalm 86:11-17, Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 My late father-in-law liked to tell the story of a man who…
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