Author Archives: Robin Garr

The Presentation of Our Lord

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Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Feb. 2, 2020

First Reading: Malachi 3:1-4

The feast of the Presentation of our Lord falls 40 days after Christmas. When it falls on a Sunday, as it does this year, it takes precedence over the usual liturgy for the season of Epiphany.

Simeon's Song of Praise, Nunc Dimittis

Simeon’s Song of Praise, Nunc Dimittis (c.1700-c.1710). Oil painting on canvas by Aert de Gelder (1645-1727). Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Hague, Netherlands. (Click image to enlarge.)

The readings reflect on the presentation of the baby Jesus and the ritual purification of his mother, Mary, in the Jerusalem temple. First we hear the Prophet Malachi speak of purification too, using the metaphor of a refiner tho purifies gold and silver with heat and fire: poetic words that the composer Handel will later adopt for a beautiful aria in The Messiah. For Malachi, the refiner’s cleansing fire stands as a symbol of Israel’s duty to restore the Temple and its priesthood upon the people’s return from exile.

Psalm: Psalm 84

Consider this psalm from two perspectives as we hear it: We may regard it from our own perspective, singing out our joy in knowing that God will provide protection, favor and honor to us when we trust in God. But think, too, about the perspective of creation: God provides nests for the small birds, for sparrows and swallows too. God hears not only our prayers, but provides pools of water for thirsty travelers and for all creatures who thirst as they go through desolate valleys.

Alternate Psalm: Psalm 24:7-10

This passage comes from one of the many psalms that tradition attributes to King David himself. The full psalm is thought to have been a processional chant as the priests and congregation approached the Temple. In the first verses the priest calls out, “Who shall stand in his holy place? Who has the right to come in and worship? “Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,” the crowd sings back. Then, in the verses we hear on this Sunday, the joyous chorus celebrates God, the King of Glory, creator of the earth and all that is in it.

Second Reading: Hebrews 2:14-18

Christians in some parts of the Roman Empire faced frightening persecution late in the 1st century, a situation that prompted many Jewish Christians to abandon their new faith and return to Judaism, which at the time was not under such severe persecution. The Letter to the Hebrews urges them to stay strong and persevere in faith. It names Jesus as Son of God and great high priest, God who became fully human like us and freed us from death through his sacrifice and resurrection. Because Jesus was so tested, the writer of Hebrews argues, Jesus will help those who are being tested.

Gospel: Luke 2:22-40

Now Joseph and Mary come to the temple for her ritual purification and to present the infant Jesus in accord with the practice that a firstborn son be presented to God. They offer two small birds as sacrifice, an option reserved for poor families who couldn’t afford a lamb. Then Simeon enters. An elderly man, Simeon had heard the Holy Spirit’s promise that he would see the Messiah before he died. He joyfully takes the baby, blesses Jesus and his family, and utters the verses that we know as the Nunc Dimittis, the Song of Simeon: “Lord, you now have set your servant free to go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, whom you have prepared for all the world to see.”

Epiphany 3A

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Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Jan. 26, 2020

First Reading: Isaiah 9:1-4

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.”

Christ Calling the Apostles Peter and Andrew

Christ Calling the Apostles Peter and Andrew (1308-1311), panel from the Maesta Altarpiece of Sien, by Duccio di Buoninsegna (c.1255-1260 – c.1318-1319). National Gallery, Washington. National Gallery of Art. (Click image to enlarge.)

As we live through the darkest time of year, the short days of winter, we can feel the joy that gracious light brings in the darkness, a joy that the Prophet Isaiah and the Evangelist Matthew share in Sunday’s readings. Isaiah recalls the hard time when Israel’s Northern Kingdom, the lands of Zebulon and Naphtali that Jesus will later know as Galilee, have fallen to the Assyrian Empire, and the nation’s fate is in doubt. Isaiah prophecies that the future holds no gloom for those who are in anguish now: God will bring the people back to a world of bounty and joy.

Psalm: Psalm 27:1, 5-13

In words that mirror both the ideas and the emotions of the Isaiah reading, the Psalmist shouts with triumphant confidence that God is indeed our light, so there is nothing to fear. This is not just a happy-clappy praise song, though: There’s no denying that bad things can happen even to God’s own people. Enemies may surround them. But knowing that God is our light, our stronghold, and our salvation, we need not fear. We call on God to hear us, love us, protect us and keep us safe.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

After Paul’s assurance last week that the people of the church in Corinth had already received gifts that made them strong in faith, we now see that this small, troubled community was breaking into factions and quarreling. Remember to stand steadfast in faith, Paul reminds them, even when their Gentile neighbors consider them foolish for worshiping a crucified criminal. Baptism brings all together in unity in Christ. The cross represents the power of God to us as we are saved by it.

Gospel: Matthew 4:12-23

Quoting the Greek translation of the Isaiah passage we heard in the first reading, Matthew uses it to recognize Jesus as the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy. Then we look on as Jesus, grieving the murder of his cousin John and likely fearing for his own life, leaves his home in Nazareth to go to Capernaum, a larger city on the shore in Galilee, the ancient region of Zebulon and Naphtali, of which we heard Isaiah speak. There Jesus begins his public life, preaching in the same words as John so often used: “‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Jesus then calls four fishermen – Peter, Andrew, and James and John, the sons of Zebedee. All four eagerly drop their nets and follow as Jesus preaches, teaches, cures and heals.

Epiphany 2A

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Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Jan. 19, 2020

First Reading: Isaiah 49:1-7

On Sunday we follow up on last week’s account of the baptism of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel, this time hearing the intriguingly different version in the Gospel according to John.

The Calling of Saints Peter and Andrew

The Calling of Saints Peter and Andrew (c.1603-1606). Oil painting on canvas by
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610). Hampton Court Palace, The Royal Collection,
London, England. (Click image to enlarge.)

We build toward it in our first three readings, each offering us a different perspective on the idea of waiting with faith and hope for God. The first reading echoes last week’s Isaiah passage, presenting the second of the prophet’s four descriptions of the servant, the suffering savior who would lead the people back to Jerusalem from their exile in Babylon. Once despised, the servant will rise up, bringing God’s saving power not to Israel and Judah alone but to all the nations, to the ends of the Earth.

Psalm: Psalm 40:1-12

In verses reminiscent of Isaiah’s people waiting in exile for their suffering servant savior to come, we hear the Psalmist waiting patiently and with deep trust and faith for God to act. Though they were once left desolate in mire and clay, alone in a pit, the Psalmist sings, God will place them on a new, secure footing and given them a new song of praise. Although surrounded by too many evils to count and blinded by iniquities until his heart fails, the Psalmist remains firm in hope that God’s faithful, steadfast love will eventually bring mercy, deliverance and safety.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

During the remaining Sundays after Epiphany we will read from Paul’s first letter to the people of Corinth – a major Greek trading and seafaring city. In these opening verses, Paul’s friendly greetings give us insight into the letter that follows. The congregation in Corinth probably wasn’t large, but it was splitting into bickering factions, each with its own ideas about Christian practice. Faith in Christ has already given them gifts that have made them strong, Paul reminds the people of the church. He urges them to hold on to those gifts and be steadfast as they wait for Christ’s coming, an event that many in those days thought would happen soon.

Gospel: John 1:29-42

Listen closely as we hear John’s perspective on Jesus’ baptism, a very different scene than we heard from Matthew last week. This time, John the Baptist sees Jesus coming, immediately declares him “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” and tells the crowd that Jesus came before him and ranks ahead of him. Then it is John the Baptist, not Jesus or the crowd, who tells of seeing the Spirit coming down like a dove and remaining on Jesus, revealing him as the one who would baptize not with water but with the Spirit: The Son of God. Did John actually baptize Jesus in the midst of all this? The Gospel doesn’t say. But Jesus’ first disciples, seeing this encounter, recognize Jesus as Messiah and start to follow him.

Epiphany 1A/Baptism of our Lord

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Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Jan. 12, 2020

First Reading: Isaiah 42:1-9

Listen through Sunday’s readings as John baptizes Jesus on the banks of the Jordan: God’s spirit comes down to the people. Justice and righteousness are served, the oppressed are set free, and all is made new again.

Bautismo de Cristo (The Baptism of Christ

Bautismo de Cristo (The Baptism of Christ, c.1567), medium oil painting on panel by Juan Fernández Navarrete (1526-1579). Museo del Prado, Madrid. (Click image to enlarge.)

In the prophet Isaiah’s call to Israel in exile, we hear an idea that will be reflected in the baptism of Jesus: God who created all things will choose a servant to lead them. God will send the people out as we are sent out in baptism, living a covenant to be a light to the world and to bring righteousness to all the nations.

Psalm: Psalm 29

Visualize this as we chant Sunday’s Psalm: Whether we huddle in the basement, listening to the radio for news, or venture out onto the porch to watch in fearful awe, we know how it feels to live through a powerful thunderstorm. Lightning flashes like fire. Thunder shakes everything. Giant oak trees seem to whirl, and large limbs come crashing down. We may sense God’s power in the frightening storm, but we also feel the comfort that comes with knowing God’s protection and peace.

Second Reading: Acts 10:34-43

In the verses of Acts leading up to this reading, God has showed Peter in a dream that Gentiles, too, are to be included in Jesus’ way. Now Peter, alive with the Holy Spirit, tells the Roman centurion Cornelius, an early Gentile Christian, that God’s message through Jesus is for everyone and every nation. God’s generous gift of grace to all without partiality surely reflects God’s righteousness to all the nations as we heard in the reading from Isaiah.

Gospel: Matthew 3:13-17

All four Gospels tell of Jesus coming to John the Baptist, who was baptizing crowds in the Jordan River “for repentance and the forgiveness of sins.” Only in Matthew, however, do we hear what seems an obvious question: Why would Jesus need to repent or be baptized? Jesus should be baptizing John, not the other way around, John says. But Jesus insists, asking John to baptize him “to fulfill all righteousness,” echoing Isaiah’s call to go out in righteousness to be a light to the world and bring justice to all the nations. John agrees, and then we experience a vision of the Trinity on Jordan’s bank as Jesus, the Son, comes up from the water to see the Holy Spirit descending like a dove, while Jesus hears the Creator God declare Jesus the beloved son.

The Epiphany

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Thoughts on the Lessons for The Epiphany (Jan. 6, 2020)
(The readings may be moved to Sunday.)

First Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6

On Sunday, the Twelfth Day of Christmas this year, we turn toward Epiphany, the liturgical season in which we celebrate the revelation of Jesus as God Incarnate.

Adoration of the Magi

Adoration of the Magi (c.1495-c.1505), distemper (water-based paint) on linen by Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506). The Getty Center, Los Angeles. (Click image to enlarge.)

We begin with the coming of the Magi, then through the next seven Sundays of this season we will recall other events that manifest the divinity of Jesus. In Sunday’s first reading, the Prophet Isaiah calls out a message of hope to Israel as its people return home from exile. God’s light dawns like a new day as a virtual blanket of camels bearing gifts of gold and frankincense covers the nation’s earth. Rulers from surrounding kingdoms trek toward Jerusalem with bounty, an image that we see reflected when Matthew’s Gospel tells us of the Magi bringing gifts to the Christ child.

Psalm: Psalm 72:1-7,10-14

Echoing the theme of the Isaiah reading, Sunday’s Psalm celebrates Israel’s time of glory with the images of kings of all nations bearing gifts. With God’s blessing, the Psalmist exults, Israel’s king earns the service of all nations. But with this glory comes the king’s overarching duty to be righteous and just to all the people. The king “delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper.” The king “shall defend the needy among the people; he shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor.”

Second Reading: Ephesians 3:1-12

Modern biblical scholarship assumes that the letter to the people of Ephesus in Asia Minor was actually written in Paul’s name by a later follower. This kind of nuance matters as scholars seek to understand the evolution of Christian theology during the first decades after the crucifixion and the resurrection. These verses, in any case, are certainly consistent with one of Paul’s major themes as the young church reached out to Gentiles from its Jewish roots: God’s chosen people comprise all humankind; we are all included in Christ’s body on earth and called to make God’s wisdom known.

Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12

Matthew tells the fascinating tale of astrologers (“Magi,” meaning “magicians,” in the original Greek) summoned to the infant Messiah by a shining star. Matthew, the only evangelist to tell of the wise men’s visit, does not record that they were kings, or that there were three of them, or even that they rode camels; all that comes from tradition but not the Gospel. We do hear that they came to pay homage to “the child who has been born king of the Jews.” They offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, echoing the prophet Micah’s words about similar gifts for Israel’s King. They knelt and paid homage to the child Jesus as if he were a king. And then, realizing that evil King Herod’s wanted to kill the child, they avoided Herod by returning home on another road.

Christmas 2

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Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Jan. 5, 2020

First Reading: Jeremiah 31:7-14

Sunday is the Twelfth Day of Christmas! Wish your friends a Merry Christmas one more time as we turn toward Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week and Easter.

Rest on the Flight into Egypt

Rest on the Flight into Egypt (1518-1520). Oil painting on panel by Joachim Patinir (1480-1524). Museo del Prado, Madrid. (Click image to enlarge.)

Our readings for the Second Sunday after Christmas speak of thanksgiving, hope, and joy. Even our reading from Jeremiah – whose prophecy is usually filled with warnings of destruction and despair – resounds with shouts of praise and joy this day. The prophet offers hope for all of God’s people, even those weeping in sorrow and pain. God will comfort all, turn our sorrow into gladness, our mourning into joy.

Psalm: Psalm 84

Psalm 84 echoes our Jeremiah reading in its joy. Specifically, it sings the delight of worshipping in the rebuilt temple whose destruction and restoration the Prophet Jeremiah had foretold. Even amid the celebration of having the building restored, though, the Psalm makes clear, real exultation is not bound by bricks and mortar but rests on the grace and glory found in encountering God.

Second Reading: Ephesians 1:3-6,15-19a

Mirroring the reassuring theme that we heard in last Sunday’s reading from Galatians, the author of the letter to the Ephesians emphasizes that we are all adopted as God’s children through Jesus. Through this adoption, the letter assures us, we are freely given God’s grace, a glorious inheritance of great spiritual riches that offers hope.

Gospel: Matthew 2:13-15,19-23

Think about the sad and sometimes terrifying images of refugees that fill the news these days: Children separated from their parents and kept in cage-like cells. African immigrants drowned as their ships capsize on the Mediterranean. Refugee status is a hard, frightening and sometimes fatal situation. Now think about Joseph and Mary in Matthew’s Gospel: They are terrified, running away to a foreign land to escape the threat of their own baby’s death at the hands of an angry King Herod. What parents would not go to such an extreme to protect their precious child? And what child, living through such an experience, would not forever remember to care for the widow, the orphan and the stranger?

Gospel (Alternate Reading): Luke 2:41-52

The gospels tell us almost nothing about Jesus’s childhood and youth. This intriguing gap is filled by this short, fascinating story that appears only in Luke’s Gospel. Twelve-year-old Jesus disappears while the family is in Jerusalem, to the horror of Joseph and Mary, who find him three days later in the Temple, impressing the elders with his intelligent discussion. The child reassures his frantic parents, declaring that his place is in his “Father’s house,” the Temple. In the next chapter, in Luke’s account of the baptism of the 30-year-old Jesus by John the Baptist in the Jordan, we will hear the voice of God announce that Jesus is God’s beloved Son.

Gospel (Alternate Reading): Matthew 2:1-12

This Gospel reading offers a preview of the feast of the Epiphany, as we hear Matthew’s account of the wise men from the East (“Magi,” or literally “magicians” in the original Greek). Matthew tells the fascinating tale of astrologers summoned to the infant Messiah by a shining star; verses from the prophet Micah that seemed to foretell the future king’s birthplace in Bethlehem, and a suspicious, sneaky King Herod who plots to use the Magi to track down the baby. (You’ll notice that the Magi found the holy family in a house, not a manger … it is only Luke’s Nativity story that places them with the shepherds, cattle and sheep.)

Christmas 1

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Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Dec. 15, 2019

First Reading: Isaiah 61:10-62:3
The Twelve Days of Christmas continue through the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6.

Saint John the Evangelist

Saint John the Evangelist (c.1624-1629), oil painting on canvas by Domenico Zampieri (“Domenichino,” 1581-1641). National Gallery, Washington. (Click image to enlarge.)

It’s hard to resist the feeling that Christmas was over on December 26, though. We’ll return to work Monday, if we didn’t have to go back already; soon we’ll pack the colorful lights, the Christmas gift boxes and the holiday music. Sunday’s reading, from near the end of the book of Isaiah, finds the people getting back to work too. Returned to Jerusalem after years in exile, they rejoice in God’s righteousness as they face the hard work of rebuilding.

Psalm: Psalm 147
One of the half-dozen resounding songs of joy that conclude the book of Psalms, this memorable hymn begins with a mighty “Praise the Lord,” a shout of exultation that the ancient Hebrews sang as “Hallelu-Yah!” We praise the Lord who is near, who heals our hearts and binds our wounds. We praise the mighty far-off God of all creation, too: The Lord of stars and clouds, winds and waters, rain and the growing grass, all the animals and all of us, too. Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!

Second Reading: Galatians 3:23-25;4:4-7
In his short letter to the Christians of Galatia, a Gentile Christian community in central Turkey, Paul argues in fierce conflict against some in the early church who demanded that gentile converts follow the strict requirements of Jewish law. We should be careful, though, not to interpret these words as anti-Jewish or as suggesting that the new covenant abolishes the old. There is no controversy in his ringing conclusion to this passage, though, celebrating our joy in being adopted without restriction as God’s heirs and children through Christ.

Gospel: John 1:1-18
These spiritual and poetic words that begin the Gospel of John are so familiar that we may hear them without deep thought. But let’s stop to pay attention: Surely John had the creation story from Genesis in mind when he began with the very same words, “In the beginning.” Then he goes on to place Jesus, the Word, at the moment of creation, when God uttered the creative word, “Let there be light.” John names John the Baptist as the witness to Jesus’ divinity, and he echoes Paul’s point about Moses giving the Law while Jesus gives grace.

Christmas Day I, II, and III

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Thoughts on the Lessons for Christmas Day I, II, and III 
Dec. 25, 2019
(Lectionary Selections I, II, and III are customarily used respectively for Christmas Eve midnight, Christmas dawn, and the main service on Christmas Day.)

First Reading, Selection I: Isaiah 9:2-7

Christmas has come! We see a great light and sing a new song as we behold with joy in the city of David the birth of a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.

Adoration of the shepherds

Adoration of the shepherds (1622). Oil painting on canvas by Gerard van Honthorst (1590–1656), Wallraf-Richartz-Museum, Cologne, Germany. (Click image to enlarge)

In our first reading, we hear words of the prophet Isaiah that would inspire the composer George Frideric Handel in “The Messiah.” The prophet foretells a glorious future when the oppressor’s yoke will be broken and a child will be born for us, a son given to us, a Wonderful Counsellor will take the throne of David: Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

First Reading, Selection II: Isaiah 62:6-12

In this first reading from Isaiah, the exile is ending. Through the power of God’s strong right hand and mighty arm, the people will return to Jerusalem. Prepare the way, build up the highway toward home and clear it of stones, the prophet calls. No longer shall enemies harvest Zion’s grain and drink its wine; God will bring a glorious future of redemption and salvation that will last until the end of time.

First Reading, Selection III: Isaiah 52:7-10

Israel’s exile in Babylon is ending in this selection from Isaiah, and God’s messenger brings good news of peace and salvation. When God leads the people back to Zion, the temple on the mountain, Jerusalem, even the ruins of the devastated city will break into song. Such is the joy of God’s return to the holy city: God reigns, the people are comforted, and all the nations shall see the power of God’s holy arm and the salvation that it brings.

Psalm, Selection I: Psalm 96

All the earth sings a new song, blessing God’s name in this joyous psalm of praise. There is fascinating theology here, ideas that we may see reflected in the New Testament: We are called to proclaim the good news of God’s salvation; we are to go out and declare God’s glory, a great commission to show God’s majesty to all the nations. The whole earth, the heavens, the seas, the forests and all that is in them rejoice before our God.

Psalm, Selection II: Psalm 97

God is king, and all creation rejoices. This Psalm praises God in an image of power and might that echoes the fearsome God who led the Israelites through the desert and protected them there, surrounded by clouds, lightning and fire. This psalm shows us a God over all other gods, over all other nations, but it also reveals a God who loves the righteous, provides light for them, and cares for those who live justly.

Psalm, Selection III: Psalm 98

Again we are called to stand up and rejoice in a Psalm of praise filled with joyous music, harps, trumpets and horns. We sing a new song of praise for the victory won by God’s mighty right hand and holy arm. All the nations, not only Israel, shout with joy. Even the sea, the land, the rivers and the hills will rejoice when God comes to judge all the world with righteousness and equity. Lift up your voice! Rejoice and sing!

Second Reading, Selection I: Titus 2:11-14

Here’s a Bible trivia fact: Titus is the only book of the New Testament that does not appear in the regular three-year Lectionary of Sunday service readings. We read in it only on Christmas Day. Much of Titus’ short letter is spent warning the people of Crete to rein in their sinful behavior, an instruction that leads to a worthy conclusion: We should live well and renounce bad actions as we wait for the grace of God through Jesus Christ, who gave himself to redeem us and make us God’s people.

Second Reading, Selection II: Titus 3:4-7

In this passage, Titus emphasizes that Jesus is God, our savior, the perfect manifestation of goodness and loving-kindness. Jesus saved us not because of any good that we had done, but entirely because he is merciful, giving us God’s grace through baptism by water and the Holy Spirit. Justified by God’s grace, we become heirs to eternal life through Jesus.

Second Reading, Selection III: Hebrews 1:1-4,(5-12)

The letter to the Hebrews begins with a beautifully poetic description of Jesus, chosen as the son of God, the perfect reflection of God’s glory, higher even than the angels. Indeed, it tells us, when Jesus was born into the world, multitudes of angels appeared in the heavens to worship him. Because Jesus loved righteousness and hated wickedness, says Hebrews, his throne is for ever and ever, and God speaks to us no longer through the prophets but through him.

Gospel: Luke 2:1-14(15-20), Selection I; and Luke 2:(1-7)8-20, Selection II

Now we come to the familiar Gospel story of Jesus’ birth. Today we read the nativity according to Luke. This is the Gospel that gives us the memorable stories of Mary giving birth, wrapping the child in swaddling clothes and laying him in a manger in Bethlehem – the City of David – because there was no room in the inn. Here we have the beautiful scene of baby Jesus and his parents suddenly surrounded by shepherds and their flocks. Angels sing gloriously overhead while the Lord’s angel tells them that the baby is a Savior and the Messiah.

Gospel, Selection III: John 1:1-14

There is no nativity story in this Christmas Gospel. Luke and Matthew, each in his own way, give us the familiar story of the newborn baby born in Bethlehem. But John introduces us to Jesus in a completely different way: It’s a poetic and spiritual passage instead, celebrating the unimaginable glory of God’s own word becoming flesh and living among us, lighting up the world. The Word that was in the beginning with God, when God said, “Let there be light,” is now, will be, and in God’s time always has been, incarnate as human flesh, Jesus, Messiah, God with us.

Advent 4A

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Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Dec. 22, 2019

First Reading: Isaiah 7:10-16

Christmas is drawing near, and we can all but feel the Incarnation – God becoming human in Jesus, the Messiah – in our readings for the fourth Sunday of Advent.

The Angel Visiting Joseph in a Dream

The Angel Visiting Joseph in a Dream (c.1628-1645). Oil painting by Georges du Mesnil de La Tour (1593-1652). Musee des Beaux-Arts, Nantes, France. (Click image to enlarge.)

In our first reading, we hear the prophet Isaiah describing the Messiah as a good king, a worthy successor to King David. The prophet warns David’s descendant, King Ahaz of Judah, that his land will soon be conquered; but a child named Immanuel – “God With Us” – will be born to a young woman, and the child will eventually bring good in place of evil.

Psalm: Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18

This psalm of lament over Israel’s exile remembers the shame and disappointment of being conquered. It calls on God in a sorrowful voice, asking to be spared the divine anger that has left the people with “bowls of tears to drink” as their enemies laugh them to scorn. Send a man of God’s right hand, the strong son of man, the Psalmist begs, promising that the people will never again turn from God’s way if only God will save them.

Second Reading: Romans 1:1-7

Paul gets directly to the point as he opens his letter to the young church in Rome, a congregation that he has not yet met. He tells them that he is an apostle of Jesus, called to that ministry; that Jesus is the son of God, the descendant of David whom the prophets had foretold; and that through his death and resurrection, Jesus Christ is Lord, the Son of God. He comes to them in Jesus’ name, he assures his mostly Gentile audience: They, too, are God’s beloved. Only after offering these important assurances does he come back to a proper formal greeting: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Gospel: Matthew 1:18-25

In Sunday’s Gospel we come to the brink of Christmas, but there’s a bump in the road: Joseph has learned that his young fiancee is pregnant, but not with his child! We can easily imagine how a man in the culture of the ancient Near East might react to such news. But Joseph, a righteous man, decides to end the engagement quietly, without scandal or gossip. Before this can happen, though, an angel appears to Joseph and assures him that Mary is bearing God’s son. In words almost mirroring the Isaiah prophecy, the angel announces, “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.” (The Hebrew word translated as “young woman” in Isaiah now reappears in the New Testament as “virgin” in Greek.)

Advent 3A

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Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Dec. 15, 2019

First Reading: Isaiah 35:1-10

When the Messiah comes, when the Kingdom draws near, those days of glory will be filled with righteousness and justice, joy and abundance, with healing and good news for the poor. This is the message that we hear in the readings for the third Sunday of Advent.

Madonna of the Magnificat

Madonna del Magnificat (Madonna of the Magnificat, 1483), tempera painting on panel by Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510). Uffizi Gallery, Florence. (Click image to enlarge.)

This Sunday the readings shift focus from quiet expectation toward anticipatory joy, a change in pitch that many like to mark by wearing something pink to church. The first reading offers Isaiah’s vision of the people’s return to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon, a homeward journey when the desert itself shall rejoice and blossom with joy and singing.

Psalm: Psalm 146:4-9

In Psalm 146 we sing praise for God our creator – who made heaven, earth, the seas and all that is in them – by seeing the happiness of those who have received God’s assistance. The oppressed receive justice from God; God feeds the hungry, sets prisoners free, cares for strangers, orphans and widows, and gives sight to the blind. All this foreshadows the words that Mary will sing in the Magnificat (which is also available as an alternate Psalm on this Sunday); and we hear them echo again when Jesus describes God’s Kingdom on earth.

Alternate Psalm: Canticle 15 (Luke 1:46-55)

Tradition has come to show us Mary, the mother of Jesus, as a sweet, submissive figure. But the Magnificat, the Song of Mary from Luke’s Gospel, shows a very different Mary, a brave Palestinian teen-ager. Shouting out when she first feels the baby Jesus moving within her, she thanks God for this gift in a song about God’s righteousness and justice. In words that we will later hear again from Jesus, she sings that God has “scattered the proud … brought down the powerful … lifted up the lowly … filled the hungry with good things … and sent the rich away empty.”

Second Reading: James 5:7-10

“Be patient, therefore”? What an odd way to begin a reading! Turn back a page in your New Testament to see what led to this, and you’ll find James excoriating the rich, or more exactly, the selfish rich. “… you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. … You have laid up treasure for the last days. Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.” But we don’t hear that this Sunday; we begin with the next verses, in which James reminds us to must love each other and be generous with one another, lest we be judged.

Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12

As we move through Matthew’s Gospel in this new Lectionary year, we will hear frequent reminders that Jesus is Messiah, the lord and savior that the prophets foretold. Today we hear a conversation between Jesus and messengers from John the Baptist in prison, asking outright whether Jesus is the Messiah or if they must wait for another. In response Jesus sets out his priorities, which echo Isaiah’s prophecies and his mother’s song: “… the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.”