Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for May 12, 2024 (Easter 7B)

Tirage nomination de saint Matthias (Election of St. Matthias by drawing lots), 12th century painting in the parish church of the vallée de l’Aisne, France. (Click image to enlarge.)

First Reading: Acts 1:15-17, 21-26

Our readings for the last Sunday after Easter mark a pause in time, a moment when the world is about to turn. Our first reading from Acts finds the apostles gathering just after Jesus has ascended into heaven, lifted up into a cloud. Next week, on Pentecost Sunday, we will hear of the Holy Spirit coming down like wind and fire, inspiring the apostles to take the Gospel into the world. But now, as they ask God’s guidance for an uncertain future, they cast lots and choose Matthias to take the place in their numbers left by the departure of Judas, the traitor who betrayed Jesus.

Psalm: Psalm 1

The first of the Psalms begins the book with a promise: Happiness awaits those who walk in the way of God. The 150 Psalms, the ancient hymns of the Jerusalem temple, sing an emotional range from joy to fear to anger to sadness to thanksgiving, but the joy of following God provides a recurring bass line. Psalm 1 also celebrates delight in the law, the Torah, understood not as mere regulation but God’s holy teaching: God showing us how to live in love of God and neighbor.

Second Reading: 1 John 5:9-13

Our Eastertide voyage through the first Letter of John concludes this week in its last chapter. This letter is thought to have been written in the spirit of John’s Gospel by members of the Johannine community decades after the Gospel. Its consistent, uplifting theme assures us in these verses that we gain eternal life through God’s love given us in Jesus: “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

Gospel: John 17:6-19

In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus spends the night before his crucifixion praying in the Garden of Gethsemane while the apostles wait and try not to fall asleep. John’s Gospel offers a very different account. In this telling we hear Jesus talking to his disciples after the last supper. Jesus prays for them, preparing them to move ahead after he has gone . Having protected and guarded the apostles – losing only Judas from the flock – Jesus asks God to protect them. Jesus will send them out into the world, as God had sent Jesus out into the world.

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for May 16, 2021

First Reading: Acts 1:15-17, 21-26

The Seventh Sunday after Easter marks a pause in time, a moment when the world is about to turn.

Altarpiece of Saints Thomas and Matthias (1510-1520), altarpiece by Bernard van Orley (c.1492-1542). Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna. (Click image to enlarge.)

In the verses just before this first reading, we hear that Jesus was taken into heaven, lifted up into a cloud. In the verses that follow, which we’ll hear next Sunday, the Holy Spirit comes down upon the people on the first Pentecost with a rush of wind and tongues of fire. This event will inspire them to take the Gospel out to the world. But now there is business to be taken care of: Judas, the traitor, must be replaced. First the disciples discern two worthy candidates: Barsabbas and Matthias. Then, asking God to guide them, they cast lots; and Matthias joins the Twelve.

Psalm: Psalm 1

The book of Psalms opens with a promise of happiness for those who walk in the way of God. The Psalter runs an emotional gamut from praise to fear to anger, to sadness, to thanksgiving; but the joy of following God resonates throughout. Psalm 1 begins the genre that celebrates delight in God’s law, another recurring theme. Take care, however, not to weigh down this word with modern English context. The original sense of the Hebrew word “Torah” is not ‘law” but “teaching,” God showing us how to live in love of God and neighbor.

Second Reading: 1 John 5:9-13

We now conclude our six-week tour through the first Letter of John, a document thought to have been written in the spirit of John’s Gospel by later members of the John community. Its consistent, uplifting theme continues in Sunday’s reading from its final chapter. The author assures us that we gain eternal life through God’s love given us in Jesus. We give testimony to the world through our faith in this amazing gift.

Gospel: John 17:6-19

In the Gospel four weeks ago, John wrote about Jesus declaring himself the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. In this Sunday’s Gospel, as we approach the end of Jesus’ extended farewell conversation with his disciples at the Last Supper, those themes return. Having protected and guarded the apostles – losing only Judas from the flock – Jesus now asks God to protect them. Jesus sends his apostles out into the world, as God had sent Jesus out into the world.

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for May 13, 2018

Tirage nomination de saint Matthias (Election of St. Matthias by drawing lots), 12th century painting in the parish church of the vallée de l’Aisne, France. (Click image to enlarge.)

Three days after Ascension Thursday and one week before Pentecost Sunday, our readings for the last Sunday after Easter mark a pause in time, a moment when the world is about to turn. Our first reading from Acts finds the apostles gathering just after Jesus has been taken into heaven, lifted up into a cloud. Next Sunday we will hear of the Holy Spirit coming down like wind and fire, inspiring the apostles to take the Gospel into the world. But first, asking God’s guidance, they cast lots and choose Matthias to take the place in their numbers left by the departure of Judas, the traitor who betrayed Jesus.

Psalm 1

The first of all the Psalms begins the book with a promise: Happiness awaits those who walk in the way of God. The 150 Psalms, the ancient hymns of the Jerusalem temple, sing an emotional range from joy to fear to anger to sadness to thanksgiving, but the joy of following God provides a recurring bass line. Psalm 1 also celebrates delight in the law, the Torah, understood not as mere regulation but God’s holy teaching: God showing us how to live in love of God and neighbor.

Second Reading: 1 John 5:9-13

Our Eastertide voyage through the first Letter of John concludes today with part of its last chapter. This letter written in the spirit of John’s Gospel by later members of the Johannine community. Its consistent, uplifting theme reassures us again in these verses that we gain eternal life through God’s love given us in Jesus: “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

Gospel: John 17:6-19

In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus spends the night before his crucifixion praying in the Garden of Gethsemane while the apostles wait and try not to fall asleep. John’s Gospel is different: Here we hear Jesus after the last supper, talking to his disciples and praying for them, preparing them to move ahead after he has gone . Having protected and guarded the apostles – losing only Judas from the flock – Jesus now asks God to protect them as Jesus sends them out into the world, as God had sent Jesus out into the world.

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for May 17, 2015

Saint Matthias from the workshop of Simone Martini, Siena, Italy, c. 1284 – 1344.

This reading marks a pause in time, a moment when the world is about to turn. In the verses just before, Jesus was taken into heaven, lifted up into a cloud. In the verses that follow, the Holy Spirit will come down upon the people on the first Pentecost with a rush of wind, in tongues of fire, inspiring them to take the Gospel into the world. But first there is business to be taken care of: Judas, the traitor, must be replaced. First the disciples discern two worthy candidates. Then, asking God to guide them, they cast lots; and Matthias joins the Twelve.

Psalm: Psalm 1

The book of Psalms opens with a promise of happiness for those who walk in the way of God. The Psalter runs an emotional gamut from joy to fear to sadness to faith, but the joy of following God resonates throughout. This Psalm also celebrates delight in the law, another recurring theme. Take care, however, not to weigh down this word with modern English context. The original sense of the Hebrew word “Torah” is not ‘law” but “teaching,” God showing us how to live in love of God and neighbor.

Second Reading: 1 John 5:9-13

We now come to the final chapter of our six-week tour through the first Letter of John, a document thought to have been written in the spirit of John’s Gospel by later members of the John community. Its consistent, uplifting theme continues today, assuring us that we gain eternal life through God’s love given us in Jesus. We give testimony to the world through our faith in this amazing gift.

Gospel: John 17:6-19

In the Gospel four weeks ago, we heard John’s account of Jesus declaring himself the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for his sheep. Today, as we approach the end of Jesus’ extended farewell conversation with his disciples at the Last Supper, those themes return. Having protected and guarded the apostles – losing only judas from the flock – Jesus now asks God to protect them as Jesus sends them out into the world, as God had sent Jesus out into the world.