Illuminations on the Lectionary readings for May 29, 2022 (Easter 7C)

First Reading: Acts 16:16-34

Still in the Greek city of Philippi, Paul and Silas encounter an enslaved woman who at first seems to be proclaiming their mission with loud, prophetic sounding shouts.

The Liberation of St. Paul (early 1640s), oil painting on canvas by Antonio de Bellis (1616-c.1656). The Blanton Museum of Art, University of Texas at Austin. (Click image to enlarge.)

It quickly becomes clear, though, that she is possessed by a particularly annoying demon. Things get out of control when a frustrated Paul casts the demon out. This angers her owners, who profited by presenting her as a fortune teller. The argument attracts the authorities, who flog Paul and Silas and throw them in jail. But all ends well when a surely God-sent earthquake breaks them out of jail, and even the frightened but amazed jail keeper converts to Christianity.

Psalm: Psalm 97

This ancient song of praise envisions God as a mighty king who commands clouds and darkness, lightning and fire; a ruler so powerful that the earth itself is afraid. Recalling the history of the chosen people in warlike terms, it proclaims a righteous Lord who defeats the false gods of graven images, bringing joy to the cities and people of Judah. Looking past the psalm’s warlike context, we find good advice for all ages: Practice righteousness. Insist on justice for the weak, not just the strong. Resist evil, and give thanks that God loves us.

Second Reading: Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21

We come now to the closing verses of Revelation. Many in the early church were quite certain that the Lamb – Jesus – would return very soon, perhaps during their own lifetimes. It would be many generations before the early church would accept, as we still do, that the ideas of life and eternity and God’s kingdom aren’t that simple. Nevertheless, the closing message of the Lamb remains one of hope: “Let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift. … Come, Lord Jesus!”

Gospel: John 17:20-26

Jesus’ long final conversation with his apostles at the Last Supper as told by John now concludes. It began four chapters earlier as Jesus washed their feet and they began their final supper. Now, just before Judas and the soldiers come to take Jesus away for trial and crucifixion, Jesus’ words as told by John become so poetic that it may seem hard to follow them at first. A deep connection of love unites the Father and Son, Jesus says. And, Jesus prays, that love is given also to the people of God: As Jesus and the Father are one, so will we all be one in God. Jesus has told us to love one another as he has loved us; now in this final discourse he asks the Father to love us as the Father has loved Jesus.

Illuminations on the Lectionary readings for May 22, 2022 (Easter 6C)

First Reading: Acts 16:9-15

Our readings this Sunday continue a theme of Eastertide: God’s love is for everyone, for all Earth’s nations and all Earth’s people. The way of Jesus is open to all, not just a few.

Christ Taking Leave of the Apostles (1308-1311), tempera painting on wood by Duccio di Buoninsegna: Maestà (1255-1319). Museo dell’Opera Metropolitana del Duomo, Siena, Italy. (Click image to enlarge.)

Our first reading continues following Paul’s evangelical journey as told in the Acts of the Apostles, where we find Paul moving westward from Asia Minor, taking Jesus’ message into pagan Greece for the first time. He has seen a man in a vision who asks Paul to come there and help them. When he arrives in the Greek region, he encounters a woman, Lydia, a wealthy and influential member of her community. Baptizing Lydia and her household, Paul begins the community that will become the church at Philippi.

Psalm: Psalm 67

Just as Paul opened the doors of the church to everyone, this short but exuberant Psalm calls all the nations of Earth and all their people to sing together in peace and praise. God has blessed us, the Psalmist sings; and through God the earth has given forth its bounty. Read these verses with care and discern that we’re not called to praise God only to give thanks for our personal gains. We are called to make God’s grace and blessings known to all people, all nations.

Second Reading: Revelation 21:10,22-22:5

Sunday’s second reading, the concluding verses of Revelation, depicts in vivid images the New Jerusalem. The final judgement has come. Now heaven is coming down to Earth with its crystal stream and tree of life. It is a city so brilliant in the graceful glow of the Lamb that it needs no other light. All earthly kings will worship at God’s throne, it promises, in words politically radical for their time. The city’s pure waters and luscious fruit will nourish all nations and everyone.

Gospel: John 14:23-29

John’s account of Jesus’ Last Supper with his apostles extends through five full chapters of the fourth Gospel. Jesus tells his companions that must leave them soon. He urges them not to be afraid, assuring them that God the Father will come to them and Father and Son will be with them even when Jesus has gone away. As we hear these words that Jesus uttered just before his passion and crucifixion, they resonate with us again as the Ascension and Pentecost draw near: Jesus is going back to the Father, but the Father will send the Advocate – the Holy Spirit – to guide the people in Jesus’ name.

Alternate Gospel: John 5:1-9

Jesus, visiting Jerusalem for a festival, stops by a pool called Bethsaida where many people hope to be healed in its waters. Seeing a disabled man who has been waiting there for 38 years, Jesus asks him if he would like to be made well. Rather than responding at once, the man complains that he hasn’t been able to get into the healing water during all those years because no one would help him. Without further discussion, Jesus told the man, “Stand up, take your mat and walk,” and so he does, walking away without a word of thanks. The passage laconically concludes, “Now that day was a sabbath.” The following verses, however, make clear that this Sabbath healing outraged the Temple authorities, who began making plans to have Jesus killed.

Illuminations on the Lectionary readings for May 15, 2022 (Easter 5C)

First Reading: Acts 11:1-18

You have probably noticed by now that our first readings during Eastertide have turned to the Acts of the Apostles. Acts tells the story of the early church, written by the evangelist known as Luke as a sort of continuation of his Gospel after the death of Jesus and the resurrection of Christ.

Peter’s vision of a sheet with animals (c.1619), oil painting on poplar wood by Domenico Fetti (1589-c.1623/4). Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna. (Click image to enlarge.)

Sunday’s Acts passage marks a critical turning point in its narrative, as Peter and the apostles recognize that the message of Jesus was not intended only for their faith, Judaism, but for all humankind. We’ll hear echoes of this generous message reverberating through Sunday’s readings.

Psalm: Psalm 148

Like a symphony with a resounding final coda, the Psalms end in a series of hymns of praise that shout out God’s glory with ringing exultation. In this Psalm we behold all creation praising God. All the angels and the universe, the sun and moon, stars and heavens, all praise the Lord, as do fire and hail, snow and fog; domestic animals, wild animals – even sea monsters! All humanity, too, praises the Lord, old and young people, kings and their subjects, men and women: God’s glory is universal, and God gives us all strength.

Second Reading: Revelation 21:1-6

In the remaining weeks of Eastertide we move to the closing chapters of Revelation. Heaven and Earth have passed away in this apocalyptic vision. Everything has changed! Earth and sea and all creation as we knew it is no more. Now God is coming to Earth to live with mortals, as Jesus Christ had done; all humanity will be God’s people, and God will be with them in a world where all things are new. God will wipe away tears and banish mourning, crying and pain; God will quench all thirst with the water of life. Death will be no more!

Gospel: John 13:31-35

Sunday’s Gospel takes us back in time after we have celebrated the crucifixion and resurrection. In this passage we remember Jesus and the apostles as they gathered for the Last Supper. Judas has just sneaked out to go betray Jesus, so we know that Jesus’ passion and death lie just ahead. Yet Jesus begins his last words to his friends by reminding them all to love. In loving one another, loving our neighbors, loving even our enemies, Jesus provides clear instructions to love all of God’s people, and through this abundant, universal love to show the world how Jesus loves us all.

Illuminations on the Lectionary readings for May 8, 2022 (Easter 4C)

First Reading: Acts 9:36-43

Sunday’s Collect sets the scene for the day’s Lectionary readings with these words: “O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads.”

Adoration of the lamb from the Ghent Altarpiece (1432) by Jan van Eyck (c.1390-1441). Bode Museum, Germany. Click image to enlarge.)

Even in the midst of difficulty, we always have hope in God, who protects us, feeds us, washes away our tears and offers us life. In our first reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear about the sudden death of Tabitha, also known as Dorcas in Greek. This disciple’s death must have hit the infant church hard, as this hard-working disciple was known for her works of charity and made clothes for the group. Then comes Peter, filled with the Spirit. He brings her back to life with a prayer and a command, just as Jesus had done with Lazarus and others.

Psalm: Psalm 23

The familiar comforting verses of the 23rd Psalm express our trust in God as a kindly, protecting shepherd, an image that Christians eagerly adopt for Jesus, the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. Its words offer us confident hope even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Although it turns darker momentarily as we envision our joy at dining sumptuously at God’s table while our enemies must only stand by and watch, it ends as full of hope as it began, accompanied by God’s goodness and mercy as we reside with God forever.

Second Reading: Revelation 7:9-17

Since last week’s reading the Lectionary has skipped over a chapter filled with striking, frightening symbols and allegories. The mysterious seals have come open and the four fearful horses of the Apocalypse have appeared. Now we stand again among a vast crowd dressed in white, representing all nations, races and people; all united in worshiping the Lamb, Christ, our King. These are the ones who have come through the great ordeal, facing persecution for Jesus’ sake. Now they know joy with the Lamb, who has become their Shepherd, who gives them the water of life, protects them and wipes away their tears.

Gospel: John 10:22-30

Is Jesus the Messiah? In the verses of John’s Gospel just before this, Jesus has declared himself the Good Shepherd. Now the group of Pharisees that has been quizzing Jesus becomes insistent, demanding that he end the suspense and tell them plainly if this is his claim. Jesus tells them not to ask for his words but to look at his works, the things that he has done in the name of God, his Father. His followers – his sheep – follow him willingly, he says; and through their faith they will gain eternal life.

Illuminations on the Lectionary readings for May 1, 2022 (Easter 3C)

First Reading: Acts 9:1-20

Saul was mean, and Saul was scary. A zealous Pharisee angry with the unorthodox new Messianic movement, Saul persecuted the first Christians with all his strength.

Christ’s Charge to Peter (1515-1516), design for a tapestry by Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (Raphael, 1483-1520). Victoria and Albert Museum, London. (Click image to enlarge.)

But everything changed for Saul in a blinding confrontation with Jesus in a vision on the road to Damascus. In words reminiscent of Matthew 25’s “just as you did to the least of these … you did it to me,” Saul hears that when he persecuted those who follow Jesus, he was persecuting Jesus himself. When Saul understands this – with help from a rather wary Ananias – his hatred for Christ and Christians falls away. Saul becomes Paul, who the Acts of the Apostles tell us will go on to take the infant church to the world.

Psalm: Psalm 30

Psalm 30 offers praise and thanksgiving to God in a very specific context: It expresses the Psalmist’s gratitude for having been restored to good health, rescued from an immediate threat to their life. When God’s face is hidden from us, the Psalmist sings, we live in fear. But then God’s restorative mercy turns our wailing into dancing and makes our hearts sing. This Psalm fits neatly into the context of Sunday’s other readings: Paul’s conversion turns his enmity to new life in Christ. In Revelation’s apocalyptic vision, the slaughtered Lamb becomes king. And in the Gospel, Peter’s threefold denial of Jesus is wiped away as Jesus calls Peter three times to love him and to feed Christ’s sheep.

Second Reading: Revelation 5:11-14

All the people of all the world’s nations, and all the animals of land and air and ocean, too, gather around the throne to worship the Lamb in this beautiful, metaphorical vision. In contrast with the bloody, frightening images of dragons and war-horses that fill the pages of Revelation, Christ, the king, is not pictured as a mighty emperor or a roaring lion but as a vulnerable lamb: a symbol of the Passover, a slaughtered victim that is now raised and glorified for us.

Gospel: John 21:1-19

Even after Jesus had appeared twice to the disciples and breathed the Holy Spirit into them, at least seven of them must have been ready for a break. Peter and a half-dozen of the others have gone back home to Galilee and launched their fishing boat. Suddenly a stranger appears on the shore and suggests that they try casting their net on the other side of the boat. They comply, and soon haul in a bulging net. Suddenly John recognizes that the stranger is Jesus! Peter jumps in the water and hurries to shore. The delighted crew all join Jesus, who cooks fish and bread on a charcoal fire and feeds them. Then Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Peter, apparently forgetting how recently he had denied Jesus three times, seems offended that Jesus has to ask this repeatedly. But this is now past. Jesus tells Peter, “Feed my lambs. … Feed my sheep,” and calls him, just as he had done in a similar setting at the beginning of his ministry: “Follow me.”

First Reading: Acts 5:27-32

Jesus has died and Christ has risen, but tension continues between the Christ-followers and the Temple establishment.

Doubting Saint Thomas. Oil painting on canvas by Béla Iványi-Grünwald (1867-1940). Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest. (Click image to enlarge.)

The apostles have been carrying on the work of Jesus. They teach, they preach, and they heal, and all the excitement got the authorities worried that this uproar could cause trouble with the occupying Roman forces. They locked Peter and the apostles in jail, only to have an angel set them free. Now, in Sunday’s reading, they scold them. But the apostles push back, saying that they have a higher mission: God has given them the Holy Spirit and called them to spread the Word, a mission that trumps human authority.

Psalm: Psalm 118:14-29

Do some of these words sound familiar? Sunday we hear again some of the same verses as we sang in Easter Sunday’s psalm, and on Palm Sunday, too! This is no coincidence, as these words are meaningful as we remember the Resurrection: Once again we promise to practice justice in our lives, to serve God, our neighbor, the poor and the stranger, seeking through righteousness to enter the glory of God. Then, in the verses chosen for Sunday’s portion of the Psalm, we go on to address God directly, giving thanks for God’s abundant love, our lives and our salvation.

Alternate Psalm: Psalm 150

We chant, sing or read a Psalm just about every time we gather to worship. The 150 Psalms cover a range of emotions, from pleas for help to calls for God’s blessing to anguished songs of lamentation. Psalms beg forgiveness, express hope, even call down God’s wrath. But the most joyful Psalms sing God’s praise, and Psalm 150, the hymn of joy that ends the book, musters a virtual orchestra to proclaim God’s glory with flutes and harp, strings and cymbals. Sing out loud as Eastertide and the celebration of the resurrection goes on.

Second Reading: Revelation 1:4-8

Many Christians find Revelation hard to understand, even weird and scary, with its visions of lakes of fire, dragons, horsemen riding through rivers of blood … the number of the Beast! Revelation was written in the apocalyptic genre, a form of First Century sci-fi and fantasy that used symbolic language and colorful metaphors to reassure the early Christians in seven persecuted cities in Asia Minor that the Reign of Christ was still to come and would set them free. Christ is “the ruler of the kings of the earth,” it promises, and knowing readers understood that Christ would eventually dominate even the Emperor of Rome.

Gospel: John 20:19-31

In John’s version of the resurrection, Mary Magdalene alone saw the risen Christ. But after she ran back to tell the other disciples, it appears that they did not react immediately with celebration. Rather, as Sunday’s Gospel begins, they have locked themselves securely indoors, apparently afraid that the Jewish leaders who had supported Pilate when he condemned Jesus were trying to find them. Suddenly Jesus appears in the locked room with them! He shows them his wounds and offers them peace and breathes the power of the Holy Spirit into them, and their fear turns into joy. Thomas, who wasn’t with the apostles that night, remains doubtful. He insists on proof before he will believe. But Thomas, too, turns from doubt to belief when he sees Jesus.