Epiphany 3C

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Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013.

Jesus in the Synagogue

Jesus in the Synagogue

First Reading: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
Jerusalem and the temple are still under reconstruction after the return from exile in Babylon. We hear from the “minor” prophet Nehemiah, who – like the priest and prophet Ezra – is thought to have been sent from Persia to help the Israelites re-settle in Jerusalem. It is fascinating to see echoes of the ancients with our own Sunday liturgy: The people stand, pray, bow, hear the Bible reading and something like a sermon, then joyfully disperse to celebrate their Sabbath.

Psalm 19
First in today’s Psalm, we sing the glory of God. Then we sing the glory of God’s law, which the Psalmist understood as the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament that set out God’s covenant with the people: the holy scrolls that the scribe Ezra read to the community in the first reading. The heavens and the skies themselves pour out the glory of God and of God’s work in the law.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Following last Sunday’s declaration that every member has a role in the church, Paul now likens the people of Corinth – and all of us – to the body of the risen Christ in the world. All the parts of the body are necessary. All have to work together. The eye, the hand, the ear, the leg … none can go it alone. What works for our bodies works for our church: We’re all in this together, and we need and respect one another!

Gospel: Luke 4:14-21
Jesus begins his public ministry in the synagogue, reading from the Prophet Isaiah. The verse he chooses makes a powerful statement: He claims as his own the call to bring good news to the poor … proclaim release to the captives … give sight to the blind and freedom to the oppressed. If this sounds familiar, it should! This is the message that Jesus preached, the way that he told his people to bring in God’s kingdom on earth. And it sounds a lot like the Magnificat, the song of joy that his mother, Mary, sang, when she learned of his coming birth. When we act as Jesus’s hands in the body of Christ, this is the work we are called to do.

Epiphany 2C

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Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013.

The wedding feast at Cana

The wedding feast at Cana

First Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5
Israel has returned from exile to Jerusalem, to Mount Zion, site of the temple. But the joyous celebration of return is over now, and the people recognize that a long, hard time of rebuilding lies ahead. “I will not keep silent … I will not rest,” pledges the prophet, promising to continue calling on God’s help until the temple and the city are rebuilt. God delights in the people and the land like a bridegroom and will bring the people joy. Listen for another story of God blessing a new marriage in today’s Gospel.

Psalm 36:5-10
The Psalm picks up in the middle of a song, and to this point its narrative has been discouraging. Just before today’s verses, the Psalmist – perhaps like Isaiah looking at the hard work to be done on Mount Zion – has sung of being surrounded by wicked and deceitful people who fear neither God nor evil. But now the song turns to chords of hope. In contrast to human wickedness, God showers us with amazing grace and abundant love. God’s protection and faithfulness come to us all, in that day and in this day.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
The Christian community at Corinth, in Greece, probably consisted of fewer than 100 people, about the size of an average Episcopal church; but it had plenty of issues with differences of opinion, arguments and even cliques. In this pastoral letter sent to them from far away, Paul reminds the congregation that every member is blessed with God’s grace; every member has a role in bringing the good news of Jesus to the world.

Gospel: John 2:1-11
John paints a lovely picture of Jesus at a wedding feast, where the wine is flowing so freely that the host’s supplies soon run dry. When his mother calls him to save the situation, he complies, revealing new wine that’s even better than the old. There’s plenty of symbolism to work with here, but I like the underlying story: Jesus’s first miracle, according to John, occurs at a social event of table fellowship, enjoying good food and good drink with family and friends.

Epiphany 1C/Baptism of Our Lord

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Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, Jan. 13, 2013.

Baptism of Christ

Baptism of Christ

First Reading: Isaiah 43:1-7
Both our Old Testament readings invoke images of water today as we celebrate the baptism of Jesus. Isaiah prophesies that the Israelites in exile will return to Jerusalem, kept safe by God through fire and water. In Baptism we give thanks for the gift of the water over which the Holy Spirit moved in creating the world, through which God led Israel out of bondage; in which Jesus received John’s baptism, and in which we are reborn though baptism in Christ.

Psalm 29
In today’s psalm, a thundering temple hymn, the faithful sing of God’s power as seen in a great storm. Thunder and lightning, wind and noise, flashing fire and mighty winds that shake the earth and topple trees: But these are not things to fear. They are signs of the mighty power and majesty of God. As the storm comes to a close, we are left with God’s promises of strength and peace. We share in these gifts through our baptism.

Second Reading: Acts 8:14-17
The Acts of the Apostles, a sequel to Luke’s Gospel, tells the exciting story of the apostles and Paul taking the new church across the ancient Mediterranean, spreading the Good News to both Jews and Gentiles. In today’s short reading we get a glimpse of Peter and John baptizing new Christians in Samaria. Remember that the Samaritans were longtime enemies of the Jews (which is why the Good Samaritan was so surprising), but now the apostles venture boldly out, not just staying safely among “their kind.”

Gospel: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
In Luke’s account of Jesus’s baptism, he shows us images of water and fire that seem to echo what we heard in the readings from Isaiah and Psalms. The people had wondered if John the Baptist was the Messiah, but John told them no: The one who is coming – Jesus – is far more powerful than he. Then today’s reading skips three verses in which Herod put John in prison. When we return, Jesus has been baptized, the Holy Spirit appeared as a dove, and God’s voice from heaven announced that Jesus is God’s son. Let’s remember today that as baptized Christians we too are sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked as Christ’s own for ever.

The Epiphany

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Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013.

Adoration of the Magi

Adoration of the Magi

First Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6
God’s light dawns like a new day, and a virtual blanket of camels bearing gifts from surrounding kingdoms covers the nation’s earth as they trek toward Jerusalem. This song, concluding the prophecies of Isaiah, celebrated Israel’s return after years of exile. Now images of kings bearing gifts of gold and frankincense speak to us as Christians, too, as we celebrate Epiphany. What gifts can we bring to the Christ child?

Psalm 72
Today’s Psalm, too, attributed by tradition to King Solomon, celebrates Israel’s time of glory with 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 an important duty to be righteous and just. The king “delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper.” May we, too, remember to have pity on the weak and the needy, and to stand up against oppression and violence.

Second Reading: Ephesians 3:1-12
Biblical scholars (and seminarians!) debate whether the letter to the people of Ephesus, on the western coast of what is now Turkey, was actually written by Paul or by a later follower, or even if it was written to the church in Ephesus or to a broader audience of Christians. The message in these verses, though, clearly echoes two of Paul’s consistent themes: The Gentiles, and thus all humankind, are included in God’s chosen people; and it’s up to all of us as Christ’s body on earth to make God’s wisdom known.

Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12
“We three kings of Orient are …” Everyone loves this traditional carol of Christmas and Epiphany. Surely we all remember the familiar story of the wise men from the East, even if it might startle us a little to realize that Matthew doesn’t actually say there were three of them, nor that they were kings. They came, following a star; they bore gifts, they knelt and paid homage to baby Jesus as if he were a king … and then they thwarted evil Herod’s plan by heading home by another road. Can we listen for God’s voice in our lives? How will you follow your star?

Christmas 1

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Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012.

"In the beginning was the Word"

“In the beginning was the Word”

First Reading: Isaiah 61:10-62:3
The prophet Isaiah sings of joy and exultation in this week’s reading. The book of Isaiah, one of the major prophets, is divided into three parts that speak of the times before, during and after Israel’s exile in Babylon. These verses reflect the people’s return to Jerusalem with joy and hope that God will restore the city and the temple. As we celebrate the Incarnation now in Christmastide, we too pray that God’s righteousness and justice will spring up like a garden in the world.

Psalm 147:13-21
Here is one of the final group of songs that ends the book of Psalms with triumphant praise. Echoing the reading from Isaiah, it sings of gratitude for God’s protection over Jerusalem and its temple, and acknowledges God’s reign over all humankind. As we pray in this chilly winter season, we can appreciate the power of God’s word to melt the snow and frost, of God’s spirit to make the waters flow.

Second Reading: Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7
Paul’s letter to the people of Galatia, in what is now Turkey, gives us a glimpse of the early church when Christianity and Judaism were separating. Paul has heard that other evangelists came to Galatia after him and told its Gentile converts that they must follow Jewish law in order to be Christian. Paul reassures the Galatians that God’s spirit comes to them – as it comes to all Christians – directly through Jesus and gives us all we need to grow into spiritual adulthood.

Gospel: John 1:1-18
The words that open John’s Gospel are so familiar that we may feel we know them, but it takes thought to discern their meaning. The book begins with the same words that begin the Bible in Genesis: “In the beginning.” This is no coincidence. John wants us to know that the same Word of God that brought the world into being now comes as Jesus to bring us the light through which we can see God. Fully human now, but ever and always fully divine, the Word was with God, and now lives among us. And, the verses tell us, John the Baptist was sent ahead as witness to tell the world.

Advent 4C

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Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012.

These readings are scheduled for the 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eucharist services at St. Matthew’s. At the 10 a.m. Eucharist, we will have a traditional service of Lessons and Carols. Come, join us at any service: Everyone is welcome here, no matter who you are or where you are on your spiritual journey.

The Magnificat, the Song of Mary.

The Magnificat, the Song of Mary.

First Reading: Micah 5:2-5a
Micah, one of the earliest Old Testament prophets, warned the people of Jerusalem that their injustices against the weak and the poor would bring down God’s wrath. Having foretold the destruction of the city by the Assyrians, he promises that a new ruler would come from the village of Bethlehem – the birthplace of King David – to restore peace to the surviving remnant. Christians read this as a promise of Jesus as Messiah, but its broader message tells us that God desires justice and will reward righteousness with peace.

Canticle 15 (Luke 1:46b-55)
Today we sing the Magnificat, the song of Mary, who celebrates her coming child, Jesus, the son of a powerful and merciful God who loves us and calls us to acts of mercy and justice.

Second Reading: Hebrews 10:5-10
The Letter to the Hebrews, modern biblical scholars say, probably originates from the early 100s, after the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D., when Christianity was separating from rabbinical Judaism. Perhaps intended to reach backsliding Christian Jews, it seems to suggest that God abolished the “empty” sacrifices of the Jewish Temple, replacing them with Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. In modern times, especially after the Holocaust, we should try to avoid this view of Judaism as “abolished,” hearing instead the hopeful message that God’s promise to Israel at Sinai continues in us, the body of Christ, through Jesus’ incarnation, the Christmas miracle.

Gospel: Luke 1:39-45
This lovely short reading in Luke comes immediately before the Magnificat, the Song of Mary, which we heard earlier. Here we are told of Mary’s visit to her much older cousin Elizabeth. Both women are pregnant – Elizabeth with John, Mary with Jesus – and both conceived in miraculous ways, visited by angels with the news that they would give birth. When the women meet, Elizabeth feels her child leap in her womb with what she perceives as joy. Can we leap with joy as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas time?

Advent 3C

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Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012.

A medieval rendering of the Prophet Zephaniah

A medieval rendering of the Prophet Zephaniah

First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-20
This week we light the pink candle on our Advent wreath, marking Rose Sunday or Gaudete (“Rejoice”) Sunday. Today’s readings call us to be joyful. Zephanaiah, a minor prophet who came before Isaiah and Jeremiah, prophesied of Jerusalem’s coming destruction, but now he promises that God will bring the righteous people home from the coming exile. God will restore their fortunes and their joy.

Canticle 9 (Isaiah 12:2-6)
Remember last summer’s drought that stunted corn crops and frightened farmers? Drought is serious business, even nowadays. In biblical times, drought meant life or death. Isaiah, the major prophet of Israel’s destruction, exile and return, knowing that water is one of the most important things that God gives us, tells us to thank God with joy when we draw precious, life-giving water from the springs of salvation. For what are we grateful today?

Second Reading: Philippians 4:4-7
In this short reading, Paul tells the people of Philippi to rejoice, for the Lord is near. Pray and give thanks, he advises, even in a difficult time, and “the peace of God, which passes all understanding” will fill their hearts and minds. In our world of stress and tension, what a blessing it is to enjoy a moment of peace. Can we imagine God’s peace, so wonderful that we can’t even comprehend it?

Gospel: Luke 3:7-18
Our Advent Gospel continues today with John the Baptist. The long-haired, ranting prophet, preaching and baptizing in the desert, declares that he is not the Messiah but prophesies that one more powerful (Jesus, even if John doesn’t know it yet, and who is also, according to Luke, John’s cousin) is coming to baptize with the Holy Spirit. The people ask what they should do, and John tells them: Share your clothing and your food with those who have none. Don’t cheat. Don’t be selfish! Soon Jesus will call us in a similar way: “I was hungry, and you gave me food … “

Advent 2C

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Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012.

Dedication of the Temple in ancient Jerusalem

Dedication of the Temple in ancient Jerusalem

First Reading: Baruch 5:1-9
We don’t often hear readings from Baruch, which is one of the “Apocryphal” or “Deuterocanonical books” found at the back of the Old Testament. Martin Luther dropped these books from the Protestant Bible, but we’re glad that Anglicans (and Catholics) chose to keep them. Legend holds that Baruch, who is mentioned briefly in Jeremiah, was a friend and scribe of the prophet. Here, Baruch speaks to Israel in exile, calling on the people to stop mourning and prepare to celebrate God’s glory in a promised return to Jerusalem. As Christmas nears, we prepare to celebrate the glory of the Incarnation.

Psalm 126
Baruch’s prophetic promise has been fulfilled, and this Psalm honors the occasion with shouts of joy. Historically, the emperor Cyrus of Persia, ruler of what was then the world’s most powerful empire, had taken power over Babylon and, in an act that would gain him a reputation for enlightened tolerance, allowed the Israelites in exile to return home to Mount Zion – Jerusalem – and rebuild the Temple. It was a dream fulfilled, and the people gave loud thanks to God. When our dreams are realized, do we remember to give thanks?

Second Reading: Philippians 1:3-11
In the formal style of Greek correspondence, Paul begins his letter to the people of Philippi in Greece with greetings, love, thanks for their friendship and prayers for their well-being. Recalling their eager acceptance of the Gospel, Paul prays for his Philippian congregation’s continued spiritual growth and insight, which he prays will lead them to a harvest of righteousness and justice in God’s love through Christ.

Gospel: Luke 3:1-6
Luke continues the story of John the Baptist, now grown and beginning his public life as a prophet “crying out in the wilderness.” He begins with a detailed roster of Roman and Jewish leaders of the time, perhaps as a way to underscore the reality of this prophet to his contemporary readers. Then he utters a prophecy of Isaiah, interpreting it as his call to “Prepare the way of the Lord … make his paths straight.” What can we do in our time to prepare the way for the message of Jesus?

Advent 1C

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Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012.

The Fig Tree

The Fig Tree

First Reading: Jeremiah 33:14-16
It’s Advent now, and we start our journey toward Bethlehem and the Incarnation with a prophecy from Jeremiah. After the destruction of Jerusalem, the Israelites understood its promises of justice, righteousness and living in safety as assurance that they would return from exile to a restored city under God’s protection. For Christians, it becomes a metaphor for the justice and safety that we find in Christ.

Psalm 25:1-9
Just as the Jeremiah reading is a call for hope and trust in a time of pain, so does today’s Psalm ask us to put our faith in God’s love. The psalmist repeatedly calls for God’s compassion, using the Hebrew chesed, an emotion-laden word that may also be translated “faithfulness,” “kindness,” “mercy” or “grace.” It is reassuring to place our hope in God’s compassion when things look dark.

Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
In so many of the letters attributed to Paul, he writes to a beloved community from afar, expressing hope that they will be reunited, and calling God’s blessing on their lives. With God’s help, he urges the people of Thessalonika, love each other and love everyone! He prays that God will strengthen their hearts in holiness. This is good advice for us, too: love each other and our neighbors as we await the coming of God’s kingdom.

Gospel: Luke 21:25-36
When I was young, growing up in an era when we feared that Russian missiles bearing mass destruction just might come flying over the polar darkness some night, the apocalyptic Gospels of Advent used to scare the daylights out of me; maybe that’s what they were intended to do. As adults, we can smile wisely and say we understand these scary stories as mere first century science fiction and fantasy, meant to underscore a point by exaggeration. But let’s not lose sight of that point: The kingdom of heaven, in cosmic terms, is drawing near. Are we ready? When events like 9/11 or Hurricane Sandy scare us, remember then that Jesus’s words stay with us.

Christ the King B

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Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012.

Christ the KingFirst Reading: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
It might seem a little strange to us as Americans, remembering our 1776 revolution against the British king, to view our God as monarch and Jesus as warrior king. Yet we do so today as we look to the culmination of history and Christ as king. Daniel portrays a mighty God of flame on a fiery throne. Many modern Christians might prefer to visualize a transcendent Creator whose very nature lies beyond our ability to imagine. For early Christians living in a time of empire, though, it must have been reassuring to imagine an all-powerful God giving dominion over all nations and peoples to “one like a human being,” who they would identify as Christ.

Psalm 93
God is king! God is majestic! God is powerful! How this mighty hymn must have thundered through the ancient temple, celebrating the power and the kingship of God in metaphors of sound and fury: Roaring floods and massive ocean waves thundering, calling out the glory of God our king. When we chant this psalm today, sing out in a mighty chorus!

Second Reading: Revelation 1:4b-8
There has been a lot of talk about End Times lately, including the popular “Left Behind” stories, and pop-culture talk of the Mayan Calendar wrapping things up for us all next month. The book of Revelation, originally written as a subversive sermon against ancient Rome and its pagan emperors, actually carries a hint of more rational hope amid the kingly metaphors: God our King, who was with us at the beginning and will be with us at the end, loves us and frees us from our sins through Christ.

Gospel: John 18:33-37
Finally, in John’s Gospel, Jesus makes his kingship clear. Or does he? Accused of declaring himself king of the Jews, an act of treason against the powerful Roman Empire, Jesus tells Pilate that his kingdom is not of this world. Is he a king? “You say so,” Jesus replies. But is his kingdom of this world or the next? That’s not so clear. Will God’s kingdom come in the future with trumpet blasts and fire and brimstone? Or do we build it every day when we act as Christ’s hands in the world?