Illuminations on the Lectionary readings for May 22, 2022 (Easter 6C)

First Reading: Acts 16:9-15

Our readings this Sunday continue a theme of Eastertide: God’s love is for everyone, for all Earth’s nations and all Earth’s people. The way of Jesus is open to all, not just a few.

Our first reading continues following Paul’s evangelical journey as told in the Acts of the Apostles, where we find Paul moving westward from Asia Minor, taking Jesus’ message into pagan Greece for the first time. He has seen a man in a vision who asks Paul to come there and help them. When he arrives in the Greek region, he encounters a woman, Lydia, a wealthy and influential member of her community. Baptizing Lydia and her household, Paul begins the community that will become the church at Philippi.

Psalm: Psalm 67

Just as Paul opened the doors of the church to everyone, this short but exuberant Psalm calls all the nations of Earth and all their people to sing together in peace and praise. God has blessed us, the Psalmist sings; and through God the earth has given forth its bounty. Read these verses with care and discern that we’re not called to praise God only to give thanks for our personal gains. We are called to make God’s grace and blessings known to all people, all nations.

Second Reading: Revelation 21:10,22-22:5

Sunday’s second reading, the concluding verses of Revelation, depicts in vivid images the New Jerusalem. The final judgement has come. Now heaven is coming down to Earth with its crystal stream and tree of life. It is a city so brilliant in the graceful glow of the Lamb that it needs no other light. All earthly kings will worship at God’s throne, it promises, in words politically radical for their time. The city’s pure waters and luscious fruit will nourish all nations and everyone.

Gospel: John 14:23-29

John’s account of Jesus’ Last Supper with his apostles extends through five full chapters of the fourth Gospel. Jesus tells his companions that must leave them soon. He urges them not to be afraid, assuring them that God the Father will come to them and Father and Son will be with them even when Jesus has gone away. As we hear these words that Jesus uttered just before his passion and crucifixion, they resonate with us again as the Ascension and Pentecost draw near: Jesus is going back to the Father, but the Father will send the Advocate – the Holy Spirit – to guide the people in Jesus’ name.

Alternate Gospel: John 5:1-9

Jesus, visiting Jerusalem for a festival, stops by a pool called Bethsaida where many people hope to be healed in its waters. Seeing a disabled man who has been waiting there for 38 years, Jesus asks him if he would like to be made well. Rather than responding at once, the man complains that he hasn’t been able to get into the healing water during all those years because no one would help him. Without further discussion, Jesus told the man, “Stand up, take your mat and walk,” and so he does, walking away without a word of thanks. The passage laconically concludes, “Now that day was a sabbath.” The following verses, however, make clear that this Sabbath healing outraged the Temple authorities, who began making plans to have Jesus killed.

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for May 26, 2019

First Reading: Acts 16:9-15

As we approach the last weeks of Eastertide, Sunday’s readings remind us again that God’s love embraces all of Earth’s people and all of Earth’s nations: Jesus did not come to save only a chosen few.

Our first reading shows Paul taking Jesus’ message westward from Asia Minor, where he has been teaching and baptizing, into Europe for the first time. In the new Christian community at Philippi in Greece, he converts Lydia, a leader of the community and a wealthy merchant of royal purple cloth. Lydia becomes a benefactor of the growing Jesus movement, inviting Paul to stay in her home.

Psalm: Psalm 67

Echoing the theme of Paul opening the doors of the church to everyone, this short but joyful Psalm calls all the nations of Earth and all their people to sing together in peace and praise. God has blessed us, and through God the Earth has given forth its bounty, the Psalmist sings. Note this well: The Psalm does not call on us only to give God thanks and praise for our personal gains, but to make God’s grace and salvation be known to all people, all nations. We who have enjoyed God’s blessings are expected to share God’s good news to the ends of the earth.

Second Reading: Revelation 21:10, 22 – 22:5

Continuing in the final chapters of Revelation, we discover that the New Testament is concluding with vivid images of life at the end of time. We imagine the New Jerusalem, heaven come down to Earth, with a crystal stream and tree of life in the midst of a city so brilliant in the graceful glow of the Lamb that it needs no other light. In verses politically radical for their time and perhaps any other, we hear that all earthly kings will worship at God’s throne in this blissful city. The city’s pure waters and luscious fruit will nourish all nations and everyone.

Gospel: John 14:23-29

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” We hear these familiar, loving words again as Jesus says farewell to his disciples at the Last Supper. Jesus tells them that he is going away, a prospect that would surely trouble their hearts. But Jesus reassures them that God will remain present with them. God will send an Advocate, God’s Holy Spirit, to come in Jesus’ name to teach and inspire them. (We will remember this coming on the feast of Pentecost two weeks from now). God’s peace, which surpasses all understanding, will be with them and remain in their hearts and minds as they take Jesus words out to the world.

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for May 1, 2016

First Reading: Acts 16:9-15

As we move into the final weeks of Eastertide, our readings remind us that God’s love is for everyone, all earth’s nations and all earth’s people: Jesus did not come for only a chosen few. In our reading from Acts, we find Paul taking Jesus’ message into pagan Greece for the first time. He sees a man in a vision but, arriving in Macedonia, encounters a woman, Lydia, a wealthy and influential member of her community. Baptizing Lydia and her household, Paul begins the community that will become the church at Philippi, extending the Christian movement into Europe.

Psalm 67

This short but exuberant hymn shouts praise for God and all of God’s works, and asks for God’s blessing. All the earth knows God’s ways, the psalmist sings. Let all the world’s people praise God. God judges all the people fairly, and guides all the world’s nations. “May all the ends of the earth stand in awe of God.”

Second Reading: Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5

As we read into the final chapters of Revelation, we suddenly recognize that the New Testament is ending with a vivid description of the author’s vision of life at the end of time. The final judgement has come, and all God’s people from all nations have come together in peace. Even earthly kings now worship a higher king in a city that needs no temple, for God is its temple; the New Jerusalem is so brilliant in the graceful glow of the Lamb that it needs no other light.

Gospel: John 14:23-29

John’s account of Jesus’ Last Supper with his apostles extends through five full chapters. He tells them that must leave them, but tells them not to be afraid, assuring them that God the Father will come to them and Father and Son will be with them even when Jesus has gone away. The words that Jesus uttered just before his passion and crucifixion resonate with us again as the Ascension and Pentecost draw near: Jesus is going back to the Father, but they will send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to guide the people in Jesus’ name. The people of God show our love by keeping Jesus’ word.

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, May 5, 2013.

First Reading: Acts 16:9-15
Our reading from the Acts of the Apostles, the story of the early church and how it grew, shows us Paul and his company carrying the good news from ancient Turkey into northern Greece. In this lesson he makes a convert of Lydia, a leading woman of her community and a wealthy merchant who will become a benefactor of the church. Man or woman, Jew or Greek, slave or free, everyone was welcome in Paul’s church … and still should be.

Psalm: Psalm 67
Just as Paul opened the doors of the church to everyone, today’s joyous Psalm calls all the nations of Earth and all their people to sing together in peace and praise. God has blessed us, and through God the earth has given forth its bounty, the Psalmist sings. When we read the lines with care, we see that we’re not called to praise God only in thanks for our personal gains but to make God’s grace and salvation be known to all people, all nations. We’re called to share God’s good news.

Second Reading: Revelation 21:10, 22 – 22:5
Revelation depicts in vivid images the New Jerusalem, heaven come down to earth, a city so brilliant in the graceful glow of the Lamb that it needs no other light. The old hymn, “Shall we gather at the river,” echoes these images of the city’s crystal stream and tree of life. All earthly kings will worship at God’s throne, it promises, in words politically radical for their time; and the city’s pure waters and luscious fruit will nourish all nations and everyone.

Gospel: John 14:23-29
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” In these familiar, loving words, the resurrected Jesus is saying farewell to his disciples, telling them that he is going away, but that God remains present with them, and with us, in God’s Holy Spirit. God’s peace, which surpasses all understanding, means peace among nations and no more war, of course. But remember always that it also stands for peace in our nation, in our cities and towns, and just as important, peace in our minds and in our hearts.