Lent 1A

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Robin Garr

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for March 5, 2017

The Temptation on the Mount, (1308-1311). Tempera painting on wood, Duccio di Buoninsegna (1260–1318), the Frick Collection, New York City.

First Reading: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7

Sunday’s readings launch the penitential season of Lent with a firm scriptural grounding in the theology of temptation and sin. We begin with the familiar Creation story, as the crafty serpent tempts Eve and Adam with the fruit that God had told them not to touch. When the serpent persuaded them that the fruit would not kill them at all, in spite of God’s warning, but would in fact give them Godlike knowledge of good and evil, they could not resist. Temptation was powerful; but so was the shame that followed when they realized they had broken their relationship with God.

Psalm 32

Yes, deep guilt may follow the knowledge that we have sinned, failed in our trust and separated ourselves from God through sin. Guilt’s heavy hand weighs on us, the Psalmist sings, drying us out, withering our bones, leaving us groaning in pain. So much more is the joy, then, the relief and “glad cries” that burst out when we acknowledge our wrongdoing, confess our transgressions, and receive God’s loving deliverance from the pain and guilt of sin.

Second Reading: Romans 5:12-19

Paul draws a direct connection between the sin of Adam and the divinity of Jesus Christ, the son of God. This would have been an important image for the members of the church in Rome as they struggled to restore relationships between the church’s pagan converts and its Jewish Christians who were returning from exile. Adam, the first of creation, gave in to the temptation of the fruit and brought death into the world. But now, Paul reminds them, Jesus’ incarnation as one of us restores us all – not only a selected few – with justification and life through God’s free gift of grace.

Gospel: Matthew 4:1-11

At the beginning of Epiphany, we heard Matthew’s account of the baptism of Jesus, when the voice of God declared him God’s beloved Son. Now we learn that the Spirit then led Jesus into the wilderness … to be tempted by the devil? This seems to be a very strange thing for the Holy Spirit to do, but we know that the Spirit works in mysterious ways. The devil – in a role something like the “Adversary” who tested Job’s faith – tries to test Jesus, too, tempting him three times to perform miracles to help himself. But Jesus stands strong, and at the end of 40 days of fasting, he resists temptation and orders the devil away.

Palm / Passion Sunday C

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Robin Garr

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for March 20, 2016

Procession: Liturgy of the Palms C

Jesus enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday Russian Orthodox icon‎.

Psalm 118

This Psalm is thought to be an ancient anthology of Temple songs of celebration and praise. Just as the crowd in the following Gospel passage shouts out its verses upon Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, it is easy imagine a joyous crowd clapping hands and singing this Psalm loudly, celebrating the Lord their God.

Luke 19:28-40

Jesus gets on a colt to ride into Jerusalem. The Jewish throngs waiting to welcome him would surely have recognized this as an allusion to the prophet Zechariah’s verses about the Messiah’s arrival: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you … riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey!” Then the crowd responds with another joyful Messianic verse, the one that we just sang in Psalm 118 and will sing again at the Great Thanksgiving: “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Liturgy of the Passion C

First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9a

Holy Week draws near, and our readings darken with grief and pain. But even when the world grows dark, the hope that lies in faith and trust remains. The Prophet Isaiah surely meant the “Suffering Servant” figure as a metaphor for Israel under the iron foot of exile, hoping some day to return home with God’s help. Christians should respect this tradition, but we may see it as a symbol for Jesus too, particularly in its clear call to turn the other cheek against our enemies, knowing that God is with us.

Psalm 31:9-16

Have you or a loved one ever suffered from serious depression? It seems likely that the Psalmist deeply understands this stunning anguish that can break down body, mind and spirit. But even in the black depths, the Psalmist sings, hope endures. When the world feels dark and black, trust God and pray: “Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love.”

Second Reading: Philippians 2:5-11

When Paul wrote this letter from a prison cell in Rome, he may have had Isaiah’s Suffering Servant in mind. In poetic verses that historians believe may have been taken from an early Christian hymn, Paul tells us that Jesus “emptied himself,” becoming one with us even in suffering; he took on human frailty as he bore the gruesome pain of crucifixion. We, like Paul, are called to serve God and our neighbor humbly and obediently, becoming “more” through being “less.”

Gospel: Luke 22:14-23:49

In modern liturgy, we celebrate Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday together, watching in shock and surprise as the crowds who cheered for Jesus upon his arrival in Jerusalem quickly turn to mocking him and calling for his crucifixion. And now Jesus, too, calls us to be servants: “The greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. … But I am among you as one who serves.” What might this look like in our lives? How are we called to serve?

Lent 5C

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Robin Garr

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for March 13, 2016

Mary Magdalene, Jan van Scorel, c. 1530. Oil on panel, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam‎.

First Reading: Isaiah 43:16-21

As Palm Sunday and Holy Week draw near, today’s readings touch on the theme of moving toward a goal with God’s help. Isaiah envisions the people in exile, defeated and hopeless, unable to get up; “extinguished, quenched like a wick.” But in God there is hope for new ways. God will make a path in the wilderness and create rivers in the desert, protecting God’s chosen people and bringing them home.

Psalm 126

Today’s Psalm echoes the hope that we heard in the Isaiah passage, as seen from a future joyous day when all things old have been made new again. God has restored Israel’s fortunes, filling the people with laughter and shouts of joy. Those who left the holy city, weeping under burdens that seemed too great to bear, now return in joy, bringing in a bountiful harvest.

Second Reading: Philippians 3:4b-14

Once a proud Pharisee and persecutor of Christians, Paul thought he had a lot to boast about. But now that he knows Christ, everything has changed. That which was old is now rubbish to him; having gained righteousness from God through faith in Jesus, his new hope rests in the resurrection. As Isaiah advised Israel, so Paul urges the Christian converts of Philippi in Greece: Forget what lies behind. Press on toward the goal of resurrection and life through God’s call in Jesus.

Gospel: John 12:1-8

To grasp the powerful context of this familiar narrative, re-read John’s verses just before and just after the story of Mary weeping as she anoints Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume. Jesus has just raised Lazarus from the dead, causing such an uproar that the chief priests and Pharisees decided to kill Jesus to keep the Romans from stepping in. Just after today’s verses, the temple authorities decide to kill Lazarus, too, because his miraculous return from the dead is inspiring people to follow Jesus. Jesus is at risk of death. He warns his friends that they won’t always have him with them. But don’t mistake the meaning of Jesus’ words, “You always have the poor with you.” This is not an argument against helping the poor. On the contrary, it is a direct quote from Torah, God’s explicit commandment that we must always open our hands to the poor and needy neighbors in our land.

Lent 4C

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Robin Garr

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for March 6, 2016

The Return of the Prodigal Son, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, Spanish, 1617 – 1682. Oil on canvas, The National Gallery

First Reading: Joshua 5:9-12

Themes of fresh starts and new beginnings unite all of today’s readings. From the Israelites’ arrival at the Promised Land to the Prodigal Son’s return home, we hear that God is with us through transition; God stands at our side in time of change. In our first reading, the people share the joy of reaching Canaan at last. After 40 years in the wilderness, their slavery in Egypt is now only a memory, and they will begin to enjoy the fruits of the land’s bountiful harvest.

Psalm 32

We don’t always do the right thing. In our hearts we know this, even as we feel the pain of knowing that we have wronged another, or hurt a loved one. When we step away from the God who loves us and who always stands ready to forgive, our guilt piles up, and we groan in sorrow. When we repent – literally, when we stop being stubborn and turn back from our wrongful ways to trust in God – then we feel the comfort and joy of knowing God’s forgiveness.

Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Our new direction as Christians, Paul says, comes when we recognize Jesus not only as human but as Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah. In Christ everything old has passed away. Everything has become new! Through Christ God forgives all our trespasses and reconciles the world to God. In making this point to a community that has been quarreling with him and with each other, Paul reminds them to forgive and be reconciled, just as God has done with us through Jesus.

Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Just about everyone remembers the parable of the Prodigal Son, and it’s easy to grasp its meaning: God forgives us when we stray and then return. Even if we have been prodigally sinful, God welcomes us home with a father’s joy and abundant celebration. But wait! There’s more: Look at both ends of the story. At the close, the older brother, hurt because his good behavior won him no praise, is reminded of his father’s loyal, long-standing love. And at the beginning, we hear that Jesus told this story to remind the scribes and Pharisees that a sinner’s return deserves as much celebration as the recovery of a lost sheep.

Lent 3C

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Robin Garr

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Feb. 28, 2016

Moses before the Burning Bush, Domenico Fetti, 1613-14.

First Reading: Exodus 3:1-15

God is beyond our imagining. Scripture tells us this over and over. Our thoughts are not God’s thoughts, and our ways are not God’s ways, says Isaiah. It’s no surprise, then, that Scripture stretches our imagination with images that try to capture some sense of God’s power. One such image is fire. God led the Israelites in the wilderness as a pillar of fire and column of smoke. There’s fire, too, as God speaking to Moses from a burning bush. God, who is and always will be, calls Moses to lead the people out of slavery in Egypt to a land flowing with milk and honey.

Psalm 63:1-8

We hear a voice crying out in the wilderness, alone and thirsty yet nevertheless trusting in God. Even in a barren and dry and probably scary place where there is no water, the Psalmist’s soul thirsts not for mere liquid refreshment but for God, whose loving-kindness is better than life itself. Even in hard times we trust in God, finding comfort under the shadow of God’s wings, held in God’s strong right hand.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

In verses that link our First Reading, Psalm and Gospel, Paul recalls that many of the Israelites died in the wilderness, arguing that this happened because God was not pleased with them. Recalling lessons from Exodus, Paul urges us not to practice idolatry or immorality; don’t put Christ to the test; don’t complain. These things happened to our ancestors to serve as an example to us, reminding us to be faithful when hard times test us, knowing that God will provide us strength through our faith.

Gospel: Luke 13:1-9

Pilate killed a group of Galileans, and more people died unexpectedly when a tower fell. Sometimes bad things happen. Were these people punished because of their sins? Jesus, responding to the crowd’s questions, tells us that God does not punish sin with suffering. But repentance – turning away from bad behavior – brings forgiveness and eternal life. Just as the gardener gives the barren fig tree one more year of nurturing in hope of fruit, we hope for God’s forgiveness … and another chance.

Lent 2C

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Robin Garr

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Feb. 21, 2016

Christ Lamenting over Jerusalem 1846 Sir Charles Lock Eastlake 1793-1865 Presented by Robert Vernon 1847

First Reading: Genesis 15:1-12,17-18

Today’s readings speak to us of hope in God, even in times of darkness. In our first reading, Abram is worried because he and his wife Sarai remain childless in old age. Will they have to adopt a slave child to receive the inheritance that God has promised? But God guides Abram through a dark and terrifying night and, in the new day, assures him that he and Sarai – who we will know as Abraham and Sarah – will begin a family that will inherit the promised land; a family as countless as the stars.

Psalm 27

As we listen to this Psalm, notice its pattern of trust, hope and petition. First it simply declares our trust in God, our light and salvation, whose strength is so great that nothing can stand against it to make us afraid. But then it takes a darker turn as we hear an earthly king – King David, according to tradition – imagining frightening possibilities, from flesh-eating evildoers to camps full of enemy warriors. Yes, terrible things might threaten us, but the Psalm carries on, trusting God, calling on God to have mercy and keep us safe.

Second Reading: Philippians 3:17-4:1 

Is Paul telling the Philippians to imitate him, as though he were a stand-in for Christ? Not at all. Rather, hear in these verses a pastor reassuring a congregation that has endured much to embrace the Christian way, and now fears persecution. ‘Do as I do,” he suggests, calling them to follow his example and try to live in Jesus’ way, anticipating salvation through Christ.

  Gospel: Luke 13:31-35

As we move into Lent, Jesus has turned his face fully toward Jerusalem, the Passion and the Cross. King Herod is angry, and Jesus’ life is in danger. Even some Pharisees, who often argue and scorn Jesus, seem concerned and warn him to protect himself. But Jesus – perhaps echoing his responses to the tempter in the desert in last week’s Gospel – won’t alter his chosen course, even if it will lead to death in the “city that kills the prophets.” Jerusalem may threaten his life, yet he speaks his love for the city in the nurturing, motherly image of a hen and her chicks.

Lent 1C

Posted on February 10, 2016 by Robin Garr

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Feb. 14, 2016

Temptation of Christ:, 12th-century Tympanum, Church of Errondo, Spain.

First Reading: Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Now we enter Lent, a season that many consider a time for sacrificial contemplation of sin and repentance. Look closely at today’s readings, though, for they offer a different narrative, speaking not of punishment and penitence but of God’s love and protection and of our call to follow God’s way. Our first reading recalls an ancient harvest liturgy, when the people would tithe the land’s bounty in thanksgiving to God who led them out of slavery in Egypt and brought them to a rich and fruitful land.

Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16

Today’s Psalm, too, offers grateful thanksgiving to God as our protector and provider. In a striking catalogue of many bad things that can happen to good people – evil events, plague, injury, even attacks by lions and venomous serpents – we remember that we live in God’s shadow. We recognize God as our refuge and our stronghold. God will help us because we are bound to God in love. When we call on God, God will answer.

Second Reading: Romans 10:8b-13 

Paul’s verses here are often read as a call for sinful humans to gain individual salvation by accepting the resurrected Christ as personal savior. In the context of Paul’s letter to the Romans, though, this is not an individual altar call but a message calling on an entire community – the mixed Jewish and pagan Christian congregation in Rome – to come together in Jesus’ name. God makes no distinction between Jew and Greek. God through Jesus is Lord of all and gives generously to all who call on God’s name.

Gospel: Luke 4:1-13

We have spent five weeks of Epiphany walking with Jesus as the people of Galilee discover him through a series of epiphanies that gradually reveal him as son of God, Messiah. Now, as Lent begins, we go back to the beginning of his public life, as the Spirit leads him out to fast in the desert and to wrestle with the temptations of a Satan who, you’ll notice, quotes today’s Psalm! Jesus stands strong, good wins over evil, and our Gospel narrative in Lent will now move on to Jerusalem and toward the Cross.

Palm / Passion Sunday B

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Robin Garr

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for March 29, 2015

Procession: Liturgy of the Palms B

Jesus Enters Jerusalem. 18th century icon in the Greek Catholic Cathedral of Hajdúdorog, Hungary.

Gospel: Mark 11:1-11

It’s Palm Sunday, and it is Passion Sunday. In the course of our worship, we hear of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, riding a donkey and greeted as a King by throngs shouting “Hosanna!” But then, almost before we know it, we hear those same crowds angrily shouting “Crucify him!” How can this sudden and dramatic change occur? Hold this thought as we begin Holy Week, walking with Jesus toward the Cross: God is with us in joy. God is with us in sorrow.

Psalm: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

This Psalm, thought to be an ancient “song of ascents” chanted in procession as worshippers approached the Temple, is an occasion for hosannas, too. It sings out joyous praise for God’s works and God’s mercy in words that we adopt in our Eucharist in the Great Thanksgiving: “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! … Hosanna in the highest …”

Liturgy of the Passion B

First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9a

It is difficult for Christians to consider Isaiah’s “Suffering Servant” without imagining Jesus, who suffered for us, turned his cheek against attacks, and surely faced the insults and spitting of his foes. It’s important to remember, though, that the Prophet Isaiah had an entirely different image in mind, imagining a servant leader who would take the enemy’s blows for the people in exile, and, eventually, guide them back home.

Psalm: Psalm 31:9-16

Perhaps the Psalmist had Isaiah’s Suffering Servant in mind as he wrote this Psalm of lament, with its litany of sorrow, distress, grief, sighing, misery, scorn, horror, dread and fear of death. And yet, even in the face of this crushing pain, we place our trust in God, We place our faith in God’s love, and we wait for the light of God’s face to shine through like the sun.

Second Reading: Philippians 2:5-11

These familiar, poetic verses boast a fascinating background: Scholars believe that they were sung as a hymn in the early church. It may be the most ancient Christian hymn that we have! Moreover, it carries significant theological weight: Although Jesus was truly God as well as truly human, he chose to “empty himself,” taking on the full weight of his suffering, accepting human weakness even as he bore the pain of crucifixion. Then God lifted him up, exalted his name and calls us to declare that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Gospel: Mark 14:1-15:47

And at last we come to Mark’s account of Jesus’ passion and death. The palm branches and hosanna shouts are only a memory now, as we turn to the dark, painful way of the Cross and prepare to be with Jesus through Holy Week. Let us be attentive as we see Jesus’ followers, then his friends, desert him, leaving at the end only those closest to him – and a Roman centurion whose faith showed him the light!

Lent 5B

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Robin Garr

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for March 22, 2015

Abel and Melchizedek Sacrificing. Mosaic, 521-547, Basilica di S. Vitale (Ravenna, Italy)

First Reading: Jeremiah 31:31-34

Have you noticed a pattern in our Sunday readings during Lent? The Gospels are taking us on a quick journey through Jesus’ life from the Jordan to Jerusalem; the Old Testament readings showcase God’s continuing covenants with the people. Today, the Prophet Jeremiah, recognizing that the people in exile have broken the covenant their ancestors made at Mount Sinai, announces a new covenant, not written on mere stone but directly on our hearts. Having God’s love indelibly marked on our hearts offers us a way to remember, even when we’re struggling, that we are meant to love God and our neighbor.

Psalm: Psalm 51:1-13

Legend tells us that King David himself wrote this psalm. In a powerful narrative, the prophet Nathan had confronted David after David sent his general, Uriah, to die in battle so he could take Uriah’s beautiful wife Bathsheba for himself. In poetic words that reflect covenantal ideas, the Psalmist pours out David’s shame and grief. He admits to wickedness, makes no excuses, but begs for God’s mercy and forgiveness to restore in him a clean heart. A heart on which God, perhaps, can write God’s covenant of love.

Second Reading: Hebrews 5:5-10

The letter to the Hebrews is thought to be an appeal to Jewish Christians who had returned to their older faith to avoid persecution. Its unknown author makes the case that Jesus, as Christ, stands in the great tradition of Jewish high priests that extends all the way back to Melchizedek, the king and great high priest, who blessed Abram just before God made the first covenant with Abram and Sarai.

Gospel: John 12:20-33

Oddly, it is not clear from John’s Gospel whether Jesus actually did consent to meet with his Greek visitors. John places them in this passage, perhaps, to emphasize that Jesus will draw in all people: Jew and Greek, men and women, slave and free; everyone. Now, as John’s narrative moves toward jesus’ last Passover, his passion and death, Jesus has words for the world and the ages to hear: Just as Jesus must die to bear the fruit of salvation through his resurrection, we are the seeds of faith, called to grow in discipleship. Do we lie fallow and die, or do we grow and bloom where we are planted, bearing fruit as we follow and serve Christ?

Lent 4B

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Robin Garr

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for March 15, 2015

Moses and the Brazen Serpent. Anthony Van Dyck, 1620; Museo del Prado, Madrid.

First Reading: Numbers 21:4-9

This strange account of poisonous snakes sent by God to punish an ungrateful people – and a curative bronze serpent that seems suspiciously like an idol – might strike us as an ancient legend, easily ignored. But then John’s Gospel shows Jesus citing those very verses to set the context for his famous words in John 3:16! This makes the serpent story a little more difficult to ignore. Perhaps it’s as simple as this: When we feel that we’re surrounded by serpents, look up and remember that God is with us.

Psalm: Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22

In the context of that frightening reading from Numbers, it becomes easy to hear the message that the Psalmist offers us today: Give thanks for God’s mercy. Even when we are foolish, even when we rebel; even when we sin, and even when we are afraid, when we cry out for God, God hears our prayers and showers us, God’s children, with healing and salvation.

Second Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10

We find no actual serpents in Ephesians, a letter likely written by a later follower of Paul. But there’s still plenty to fear in the image of a shadowy spirit, a “ruler of the power of the air,” who lures those who prefer passion and the flesh to life in Christ. Like those healed by gazing at Moses’ bronze serpent, we are saved by God’s mercy and raised up by God’s gift of grace through Jesus; not by anything that we can do to try to earn salvation.

Gospel: John 3:14-21

“… God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” For many Christians, this week’s lessons could start and finish right there. But wait! What is that serpent doing here? We might consider that Jesus is preaching from the Torah, with which he and his followers would have been intimately familiar, and Numbers is his text. Can we fully comprehend John 3:16 without the context of John 3:14-15? Perhaps we could read it this way: Just as God gave the Israelites a way to repent of their sins and be healed, God gives us healing grace through Jesus.

Illuminations

Welcome to Illuminations. We hope these brief reflections on Sunday's readings will help you prepare thoughtfully for worship.

Category Archives: Lent