Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Dec. 8, 2024

First Reading: Baruch 5:1-9

A messenger is coming to make the way ready for the Messiah! Two alternative passages from minor prophets both draw this hope to our attention in Sunday’s first reading. The first option is found in the book of Baruch, whose name in Hebrew means “Blessed.” His is one of the apocryphal books placed at the end of the Hebrew Bible. Echoing a more familiar passage from Isaiah, Baruch tells Israel in exile that it no longer needs to mourn, for God will lower the mountains and fill up the valleys to make level ground upon which the people may walk safely home. In Sunday’s Gospel, we hear Luke repeat Isaiah’s verses in the voice of John the Baptist.

Or:

First Reading: Malachi 3:1-4

In this alternative first reading, the minor prophet Malachi – whose name actually means “my messenger” in Hebrew – brings a dire warning to the people living in Jerusalem generations after the return from exile: God’s messenger must cleanse the people with fire, he prophesies, an action necessary to make them pure and pleasing to God. “Who can endure the day of his coming?” the prophet sings, in words that Handel would make unforgettable 2,000 years later in The Messiah. “He is like a refiner’s fire!”

Psalm: Canticle 16 (Luke 1: 68-79)

We sing Canticle 16 from the Book of Common Prayer – a direct quote from Luke’s Gospel – in place of a psalm. These verses tell the story of John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, a priest of the Temple. When Zechariah had refused to believe that his elderly wife, Elizabeth, had really become pregnant after an angelic visitation, God struck him mute. Now Zechariah’s voice is restored as he holds the infant and names him John. This child, Zechariah declares, is to be a prophet like Abraham, the messenger who will “go before the Lord to prepare his way.”

Second Reading: Philippians 1:3-11

The Christian community at Philippi in Greece, according to Luke’s account in Acts, was the first church formed by Paul in Europe as he traveled west from Asia Minor. This brief letter, written from a Roman prison several years later, is full of love and gratitude. In these opening verses, Paul offers greetings, love, thanks for their friendship, and prayers for their well-being. Recalling how eagerly they had accepted the Gospel, Paul prays for this congregation’s continued spiritual growth and insight, which he hopes will lead them to a harvest of righteousness and justice.

Gospel: Luke 3:1-6

Zechariah’s son John is a grown man now, and he has begun his public life as John the Baptist, a prophet crying in the wilderness along the Jordan. Beginning his account with a detailed roster of Roman and Jewish leaders of John’s time, including John’s father, Zechariah, Luke tells how John proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Then, in words we also hear in Handel’s Messiah, Luke roots John’s prophecy in Isaiah’s call to prepare the way of the Lord, making his paths straight, filling every valley and making every mountain and hill low so that all humanity may see God’s salvation.

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Dec. 5, 2021

First Reading: Baruch 5:1-9

In the second week of Advent, we turn from apocalyptic expectations of fear and foreboding to a more hopeful theme: A Messenger is coming to make the way ready for the Messiah.

In Sunday’s first reading from the prophet Baruch (one of the apocryphal books at the end of the Hebrew Bible) gives us his version of a more familiar Isaiah passage: He declares that Israel in exile will no longer need to mourn, for God will lower the mountains and fill up the valleys to make level ground upon which the people may walk safely home. In the Gospel, Luke will repeat the Isaiah verses in the voice of John the Baptist.

Or:

First Reading: Malachi 3:1-4

God’s Messenger is coming, and the people will delight in them, foretells the minor prophet Malachi, whose Hebrew name literally means “my messenger.” But it’s not going to be easy, Malachi warns the people. Because of their sins and their failure to walk in God’s way, the Messenger will have to cleanse the people with fire and strong soap, making them pure and pleasing to God. In words that Handel would make unforgettable in The Messiah two millennia later, the prophet sings, “Who can endure the day of his coming? He is like a refiner’s fire!”

Psalm: Canticle 16 (Luke 1: 68-79)

In place of a Psalm we sing a Canticle taken from Luke’s Gospel. These verses tell the story of John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, a priest of the Temple. When Zechariah had refused to believe that his elderly wife, Elizabeth, had really become pregnant after an angelic visitation, God struck him mute. But his voice returned when he held the infant and named him John. This child, Zechariah declares, in words that we often read in Morning Prayer, is to be a prophet like Abraham, the Messenger who will “go before the Lord to prepare his way.”

Second Reading: Philippians 1:3-11

In affectionate words reminiscent of his letter to the Thessalonians in last week’s second reading, Paul starts his letter to the people of Philippi in Macedonia, Greece, with greetings, love, thanks for their friendship and prayers for their well-being. Writing from a Roman prison, Paul remembers their eager acceptance of the Gospel. He prays for this little congregation’s continued spiritual growth and insight, and he prays that this will lead them to a harvest of righteousness and justice in God’s love through Christ.

Gospel: Luke 3:1-6

In Sunday’s Gospel, Luke introduces us to John the Baptist, who we had met in the Canticle/Psalm as an infant in the hands of his father, the Temple priest Zechariah. The reading begins with a detailed roster of Roman and Jewish leaders of the time, a practice that we also see in the introduction of Hebrew Bible prophets like Ezekiel, placing the prophet in a specific time and place. Luke tells us that John, traveling in the regions along the Jordan, proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Then Luke likens John’s prophecy to Isaiah’s call to “Prepare the way of the Lord … make his paths straight,” filling every valley and making every mountain and hill low so that all humanity may see God’s salvation.

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Dec. 9, 2018

First Reading: Baruch 5:1-9

In our first reading, the minor prophet Baruch reflects a more familiar Isaiah passage: He tells Israel in exile to stop mourning, for God will lower the mountains and fill up the valleys to make level ground upon which Israel may walk safely home. In Sunday’s Gospel, we will hear Luke quote the Isaiah passage as a prophecy of John the Baptist. (This, by the way, is one of only two times in the three-year lectionary cycle that we’ll hear a reading from Baruch, one of the apocryphal books after the end of the Old Testament. Baruch, whose name is mentioned briefly in Jeremiah, was said to be a friend and scribe of that more famous prophet.)

Alternate First Reading: Malachi 3:1-4

In the second week of Advent, we turn from apocalyptic expectations of fear and foreboding to a more hopeful theme: A Messenger is coming to make the way ready for the Messiah. The minor prophet Malachi, whose name actually means “my messenger” in Hebrew, warns that God’s Messenger must cleanse the people with fire, making them pure and pleasing to God. “Who can endure the day of his coming?” the prophet sings (in words that Handel would make unforgettable 2,000 years later in The Messiah). “He is like a refiner’s fire!”

Alternate to the Psalm: Canticle 16 (Luke 1: 68-79)

In place of a Psalm today we sing a Canticle taken from Luke’s Gospel. These verses tell the story of John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, a priest of the Temple. When Zechariah had refused to believe that his elderly wife, Elizabeth, had really become pregnant after an angelic visitation, God struck him mute. But his voice returned when he held the infant and named him John. This child, Zechariah declares, is to be a prophet like Abraham, the Messenger who will “go before the Lord to prepare his way.”

Second Reading: Philippians 1:3-11

The Christian community at Philippi in Greece, according to Luke’s account in Acts, was the first church formed by Paul in Europe as he traveled west from Asia Minor. This letter, written from a Roman prison several years later, is full of love and gratitude. In these verses near the beginning of the short letter, he offers greetings, love, thanks for their friendship and prayers for their well-being. Recalling how eagerly they had accepted the Gospel, Paul prays for this congregation’s continued spiritual growth and insight, which he hopes will lead them to a harvest of righteousness and justice in God’s love through Christ.

Gospel: Luke 3:1-6

Zechariah’s son John is a grown man now, and he has begun his public life as John the Baptist, a prophet crying in the wilderness along the Jordan river. Luke begins his account of John (which we’ll continue next week) with a detailed roster of Roman and Jewish leaders of the time, perhaps as a way to place the prophet in this historical setting for his readers decades later, after the death and resurrection of Jesus and the fall of the Temple. John the Baptist proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, Luke tells us, quoting a prophecy of Isaiah as John’s call to “Prepare the way of the Lord … make his paths straight,” filling every valley and making every mountain and hill low so that all humanity may see God’s salvation.

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Dec. 6, 2015

First Reading: Malachi 3:1-4

As we move into Advent, today’s readings tell of a Messenger who makes the way ready for the Messiah’s coming. Malachi, whose name in Hebrew actually means “my messenger,” warns that God’s Messenger will cleanse the rebuilt Temple with fire. The people must be made pure and pleasing to God. If you love Handel’s “Messiah,” you may feel like singing along with Malachi: “Who can endure the day of his coming?” he asks. “He is like a refiner’s fire!”

Canticle 16 (Luke 1: 68-79)

In place of a Psalm today we sing a Canticle taken from Luke’s Gospel. These verses tell the story of John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, a priest of the Temple. When Zechariah had refused to believe that his elderly wife, Elizabeth, had really become pregnant after an angelic visitation, God struck him mute. But his voice returned when he held the infant and named him John. This child, Zechariah declares, is to be a prophet like Abraham, the Messenger who will “go before the Lord to prepare his way.”

Second Reading: Philippians 1:3-11

Paul begins his letter to the people of Philippi in Greece in formal “epistolary” fashion, offering greetings, love and thanks for their friendship and prayers for their well-being. Paul remembers with gladness how eagerly they had accepted and shared the message of the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus. He prays for this little congregation’s continued spiritual growth and insight, which he hopes will yield them a harvest of righteousness in God’s love through Christ.

Gospel: Luke 3:1-6

A bit later in Luke’s Gospel, John is grown up now, beginning his public life as a prophet “crying out in the wilderness.” Notice how much detail Luke gives to naming the Roman and Jewish leaders of the time, including Zechariah, John’s father. Perhaps this is Luke’s way of emphasizing that John was a real person, a real prophet who existed at a specific time. Then the narrative shifts as John utters the words of Isaiah, naming himself as the Messenger who will “Prepare the way of the Lord … make his paths straight.”

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

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?