Illuminations on the Lectionary readings for May 29, 2022 (Easter 7C)

First Reading: Acts 16:16-34

Still in the Greek city of Philippi, Paul and Silas encounter an enslaved woman who at first seems to be proclaiming their mission with loud, prophetic sounding shouts.

It quickly becomes clear, though, that she is possessed by a particularly annoying demon. Things get out of control when a frustrated Paul casts the demon out. This angers her owners, who profited by presenting her as a fortune teller. The argument attracts the authorities, who flog Paul and Silas and throw them in jail. But all ends well when a surely God-sent earthquake breaks them out of jail, and even the frightened but amazed jail keeper converts to Christianity.

Psalm: Psalm 97

This ancient song of praise envisions God as a mighty king who commands clouds and darkness, lightning and fire; a ruler so powerful that the earth itself is afraid. Recalling the history of the chosen people in warlike terms, it proclaims a righteous Lord who defeats the false gods of graven images, bringing joy to the cities and people of Judah. Looking past the psalm’s warlike context, we find good advice for all ages: Practice righteousness. Insist on justice for the weak, not just the strong. Resist evil, and give thanks that God loves us.

Second Reading: Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21

We come now to the closing verses of Revelation. Many in the early church were quite certain that the Lamb – Jesus – would return very soon, perhaps during their own lifetimes. It would be many generations before the early church would accept, as we still do, that the ideas of life and eternity and God’s kingdom aren’t that simple. Nevertheless, the closing message of the Lamb remains one of hope: “Let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift. … Come, Lord Jesus!”

Gospel: John 17:20-26

Jesus’ long final conversation with his apostles at the Last Supper as told by John now concludes. It began four chapters earlier as Jesus washed their feet and they began their final supper. Now, just before Judas and the soldiers come to take Jesus away for trial and crucifixion, Jesus’ words as told by John become so poetic that it may seem hard to follow them at first. A deep connection of love unites the Father and Son, Jesus says. And, Jesus prays, that love is given also to the people of God: As Jesus and the Father are one, so will we all be one in God. Jesus has told us to love one another as he has loved us; now in this final discourse he asks the Father to love us as the Father has loved Jesus.

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for June 2, 2019

First Reading: Acts 16:16-34

As we near the end of Eastertide, we find Paul still in Philippi, where he encounters a noisy woman, possessed by a demon, who is held as a slave by men who present her as a fortune teller because of her loud, prophetic-sounding shouts. She follows Paul and Silas around, declaring them “slaves of the most high God.” Paul, annoyed, casts the spirit out of her, silencing her shouts. Her masters, angry over the loss of their income, have Paul and the others jailed for disturbing the peace. They pray for relief, and an earthquake bursts open the prison doors and breaks their chains. Paul and his companions refuse to leave, though, saving the jailer from punishment. The jailer asks what he must do to be saved, and Paul tells him to believe in Christ.

Psalm: Psalm 97

This Psalm of thanks and praise begins with language that may seem difficult for modern ears. It confronts us with the loud, chest-thumping shouts of Bronze Age warriors, a genre that’s difficult to place in the context of modern times. As with any complicated story, sometimes it’s best to peek at the ending and and see how it comes out. The happy ending of this Psalm reassures us that God brings light and joy for the righteous and the upright in heart. Practice righteousness: Insist on justice for the weak, not just the strong; resist evil, and give thanks that God loves us.

Second Reading: Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21

We come now to the closing verses of Revelation, in a Lectionary passage that, perhaps wisely, skips over a couple of the book’s more alarming passages that you might enjoy picking up your bible to discover. The portion that we do hear speaks to many in the early church expected that the Lamb – the sacrificed and resurrected Jesus Christ – would return very soon, ideally during their own lifetimes. Two thousand years later, we have found that life and eternity and God’s kingdom aren’t that simple. But the message of the Lamb still brings us hope: “Let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift. … Come, Lord Jesus!”

Gospel: John 17:20-26

We now reach the end of John’s account of Jesus’s farewell talk with his apostles. John’s extended four-chapter narrative began after Jesus had washed their feet and celebrated their last supper together, and now concludes just before Jesus will go out to the garden to pray, where Judas and the soldiers will come in the night to take him away for trial and crucifixion. In Sunday’s familiar verses we hear Jesus asking God to love everyone just as God has loved Jesus. Yes, everyone: Jesus prays not only for his friends in the room then and there, but asks God to love all the people of the world, promising that all who believe in him “may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me.”

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for May 8, 2016

First Reading: Acts 16:16-34

Paul casts out a very irritating demon from a slave girl, but this angers her owners, who had made money from her “fortune-telling.” The owners have Paul and Silas flogged and thrown in jail, but a surely God-sent earthquake frees them. They reassure the jailer, who gratefully accepts baptism with his family. Now, think about how this echoes Jesus’ first sermon: Through Paul and the Spirit, captives are released, the oppressed go free, and the good news is proclaimed.

Psalm 97

This ancient song of praise envisions God as a mighty king who commands clouds and darkness, lightning and fire; a ruler so powerful that the earth itself is afraid. Recalling the history of the chosen people in warlike terms, it proclaims a righteous Lord who defeats the false gods of graven images, bringing joy to the cities and people of Judah.

Second Reading: Revelation 22:12-14,16-17,20-21

Our quick tour through Revelation brings us to the book’s final verses. Jesus is coming back soon, prepared to enter the holy city, the New Jerusalem, where he will invite all those who have followed Jesus’ way. “Come. … let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.”

Gospel: John 17:20-26

As Jesus’ long final conversation with his apostles at the Last Supper concludes, his words become so poetic that it may seem hard to follow them at first. A deep connection of love unites the Father and Son, and, Jesus prays, is given also to the people of God: As Jesus and the Father are one, so will we all be one in God. As Jesus told us to love one another as he has loved us; now he asks the Father to love us as the Father has loved Jesus.

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, May 12, 2013.

First Reading: Acts 16:16-34
Last week, we saw Paul meet the wealthy Lydia in Philippi, and she became an active supporter of the church. This week’s encounter with another woman doesn’t go so well, even though she seems to be proclaiming their mission at first. Things get out of control when a frustrated Paul throws out the woman’s noisy demon. There’s trouble with the authorities, and Paul and Silas end up in jail. But the story line ends up well, after an earthquake scares them all, and in the end Paul overcomes many obstacles to bring the good news to more new Christians.

Psalm: Psalm 97
Here’s another Psalm of thanks and praise, but this one is difficult because we are confronted with loud, chest-thumping language of Bronze Age warriors that makes it difficult to find context for our modern times. As with any complicated story, sometimes it’s best to peek and see how it comes out. The happy ending here reminds us that God brings light and joy for the righteous and the upright in heart. Practice righteousness: Insist on justice for the weak, not just the strong; resist evil, and give thanks that God loves us.

Second Reading: Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21
We come now to the closing verses of Revelation. Many in the early church were quite certain that the Lamb – Jesus – would return very soon, perhaps during their own lifetimes. Now we accept that life and eternity and God’s kingdom aren’t that simple. But the message of the Lamb still brings us hope: “Let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift. … Come, Lord Jesus!”

Gospel: John 17:20-26
This is John’s version of Jesus’s farewell talk with his apostles, after he washed their feet and celebrated his last supper with them, just before Judas and the soldiers came to take him away for trial and crucifixion. We hear Jesus asking God to love everyone just as God has loved Jesus. Yes, everyone: Jesus prays not only for his friends in the room then and there, but asks God to love all the people of the world, promising that all who believe in him “may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me.”