Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for March 22, 2015

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

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?

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for March 15, 2015

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

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.

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for March 8, 2015

Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple, Cathedrale d’Amiens.

In the first three weeks of Lent, we read of God’s great covenants with the people: God’s promises to the ages through Noah, Abraham and now Moses. God’s thunderous voice shakes the mountain as the awed people hear the Ten Commandments that sum up the principles by which we live with love for God and each other. Hear God’s voice and follow these commandments, God tells Moses in the verses just before these bedrock principles; and you will be God’s treasured possession among all the people.

Psalm: Psalm 19

This familiar hymn of praise and thanksgiving sings in exultation at the beauty and wonder of all God’s creation. In beautiful poetic language it shouts with joy about God’s gift to all the people of the world and to all the span of the universe. And within that creation, the hymn rings on, God’s laws and statutes – the great commandments – give us wisdom and joy and lead us to righteousness.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Paul’s great pastoral letter to the people of Corinth begins with a simple sermon to a community that seems to be splitting into factions: The Cross unites us as one! We may look foolish to both Jews and Gentiles for worshiping as God a man executed on the brutal Roman cross, a symbol of pain, shame and degradation. But their opinion doesn’t matter, because we prefer God’s “foolishness” to mere human wisdom; God’s weakness to the limited power that humans consider strength.

Gospel: John 2:13-22

During the first weeks of Lent we quickly touched on Mark’s narrative of Jesus’ public ministry, from his baptism and prophetic teaching to Peter’s recognition that Jesus is the Son of Man, the Messiah. Now we turn to John’s Gospel for the rest of the season, beginning with John’s colorful account of Jesus throwing the money-changers out of the temple. Then John sets us on the path toward Jesus’ passion and death as Jesus likens his own body to the temple, declaring that he will “rise up” three days after his body’s destruction.

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for March 1, 2015

Abraham’s dream, 17th century etching by the Bohemian artist Wenceslas Hollar.

Our Lenten readings continue recalling God’s covenants with the people. This week our attention turns to Abraham and Sarah, called by God to go to a new land at a great age. They are given new names and a promise that they and their offspring will yield a great multitude of nations. God will be with them and their children forever. Note well, however, that unlike God’s unconditional covenant with Noah, this covenant requires something more: In order to gain the Promised Land (a promise made in verses that our reading skips over today), Abraham and his people are to “walk before God and be blameless.”

Psalm: Psalm 22:22-30

Today’s Psalm repeats the theme of God’s covenant. The Psalmist exults in the eternal nature of that covenant with Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, who was later named Israel by God. The Psalm shouts thanks and praise that Jacob’s descendants will serve God and will be known as God’s own forever. To this day we remember those words in baptism, when those being welcomed into the household of God are anointed with blessed oil, sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked as Christ’s own for ever.

Second Reading: Romans 4:13-25

Reaching out to the people of the church in Rome before his first visit there, Paul is trying to reconcile a faith community that included both Jewish and Gentile Christians. Paul reminds them that Abraham’s descendants received God’s promise under the law, while Gentiles now receive it through their new faith. We are now children of Abraham and Sarah, too, through our faith in Jesus’s death and resurrection.

Gospel: Mark 8:31-38

In the verses just before this, asked who he thinks Jesus is, bold Peter declared, “You are the Messiah!” Now Jesus warns the disciples that the road ahead will not be easy. He will face rejection, punishment and death before rising again after three days. This is not what Peter wants to hear, but his protests earn him a strong response from Jesus: “Get behind me, Satan!” If you want to follow Jesus, he says, deny yourself. Take up your cross. Prepare to give your life in order to save it.

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Feb. 22, 2015

Noah and his sons view God’s rainbow in awe and wonder. From the Hebrew 6th century Vienna Genesis.

God makes a covenant with Noah, promising never again to destroy all human and animal life in a vast flood. This is the first in a series of covenants that God will make with Abraham and Moses: binding agreements that the prophets will hold up as the standard by which the people must live in order to inherit the Kingdom. Jesus, too, teaches God’s covenant as he calls us to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves, building God’s Kingdom on earth by forgiving each other as God forgives us.

Psalm: Psalm 25:1-9

Attributed by tradition to King David, this Psalm of praise expresses the joy of holding up our hearts and souls with willing trust in God’s everlasting compassion and love. Some of the Psalm’s language, calling for protection against humiliation by enemies and scheming foes, may reflect the hard-won status of a tiny nation. But its tone rings of praise, not fear; and at the end it recalls the people’s covenant to follow God’s ways.

Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22

The author of the first letter of Peter neatly ties together today’s First Reading and Gospel. Just as Noah and his family were saved in a world covered by water, we are now saved in the water of baptism. Both saving acts are the work of God. We are saved through the resurrection of Jesus, who now sits at God’s right hand as lord of all creation.

Gospel: Mark 1:9-15

Does this reading seem familiar? Yes, we have heard the first verses of this Gospel recently, on the first Sunday of Epiphany: Jesus emerges from Jordan’s waters to see a dove and hear a voice declaring him God’s beloved son. Now we are told of Jesus’ temptation in the desert as Mark moves quickly to the main event: Jesus proclaims the good news that will take him to the Cross: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near.” The time is now. The kingdom is here. Repent – turn our lives toward Jesus’ way – and be ready.