Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Feb. 25, 2024 (Lent 2B)

Abraham’s Journey from Ur to Canaan. Oil on canvas (1850), by József Molnár (1821-1899). Hungarian National Gallery. (Click image to enlarge.)

First Reading: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16

Our first reading this week turns to another of the key Hebrew Bible covenants between God and God’s chosen people. This time God calls Abram and Sarai and tells them to go to a new land at their great age; Abram is 99 and they have had no children yet. They will be given new names – Abraham and Sarah – and in turn for accepting this call, God promises that they and their offspring will yield a great multitude of nations, and that God will be with their offspring forever. In contrast with God’s unconditional covenant with Noah that we heard last week, this covenant is reciprocal: In order for their offspring to gain the Promised Land (a promise made in the verses that our Sunday reading skips over), they and their descendants must “walk before God and be blameless.”

Psalm: Psalm 22:22-30

The theme of God’s covenant with Abraham and Sarah, through their grandson Jacob, the son of their son Isaac, echoes in Sunday’s Psalm portion. The Psalmist exults in the eternal nature of that covenant with Jacob (whom God later renamed Israel), and calls on all of Israel’s offspring to serve God, because as a result of Abraham’s covenant they will be known as God’s own forever. Even now the priest echoes similar words in every baptism, while those being welcomed into the household of God are anointed with blessed oil.

Second Reading: Romans 4:13-25

Paul, too, evokes the eternal nature of God’s promise to Abraham’s descendants in this passage from Romans. He adds something new, too: He reaches out to include Gentile Christians within God’s promise. While Abraham’s descendants received God’s covenant through the law, Gentiles who become Christians now receive it through their new faith, Paul writes. Seeking to reconcile a faith community in Rome that included both Jewish and Gentile Christians, Paul assures them that they all are now children of Abraham and Sarah, through faith in Jesus’s death and resurrection.

Gospel: Mark 8:31-38

In the verses just before this, when Jesus had asked his disciples who they think Jesus is, some guessed that he was John the Baptist. Some guessed Elijah, and others imagined him as one of the prophets. Peter, though, boldly declared, “You are the Messiah!” Surely, based on Torah’s tradition, they assumed that the Messiah would come to wage war, defeat their hated Roman overlords, and win Israel’s freedom. Jesus, though, warns that his way is not like that. He tells them that he will face rejection, punishment and death before rising again after three days. This is not at all what Peter wants to hear, but his protests earn him a startling response from Jesus: “Get behind me, Satan!” If you want to follow Jesus, he tells them, you must deny yourself. Take up your cross. Prepare to give your life in order to save it.

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Feb. 28, 2021

First Reading: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16

The lectionary readings for Lent continue recalling God’s covenants with the people.

Abraham, Sarah and the Angel (1520s), oil painting on panel by Jan Provoost (1462-1525 to 1529). The Louvre, Paris. (Click image to enlarge.)

This week our attention turns to Abram and Saraai, the Aramean couple called by God to go to a new land at a great age. God gives them new names – Abraham and Sarah – and promises that they and their offspring will yield a great multitude of nations. This seems surprising, since Abram is 99 and they have had no children, but all things are possible with God. In contrast to the unconditional covenant with Noah, the covenant with Abraham requires reciprocity: In order to gain the Promised Land (a promise made in verses that the lectionary reading skips over), Abraham and his people are to “walk before God and be blameless.”

Psalm: Psalm 22:22-30

Today’s Psalm repeats the theme of God’s covenant from Abraham and Sarah through their son Isaac and grandson Jacob, who God later renamed Israel. The Psalmist exults in the eternal nature of that covenant, shouting thanks and praise that Jacob’s descendants will serve God and will be known as God’s own forever. Even today we remember those words in baptism, when those being welcomed into the household of God are anointed with blessed oil, sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked as Christ’s own for ever.

Second Reading: Romans 4:13-25

Paul recalls God’s eternal promise to Abraham’s descendants in his letter to the people of Rome, but he adds something new: He extends that covenant to include Gentile Christians as well. While Abraham’s descendants received God’s covenant through the law, Paul writes, the Gentiles who become Christians now receive it through their new faith. Seeking to unify a faith community in Rome that included both Jewish and Gentile Christians, Paul assures them that all are now children of Abraham and Sarah through faith in Jesus’s death and resurrection.

Gospel: Mark 8:31-38

In Sunday’s Gospel we find Jesus telling the disciples things that they do not want to hear. In the verses just preceding these, Jesus asked them who they think he is, and bold Peter blurted out, “You are the Messiah!” Now, Jesus warns that the road ahead will not be easy. He will face rejection, punishment and death before rising again after three days. Peter argues with Jesus, taking him aside to challenge that approach, but Jesus’ quick response to Peter is startling: “Get behind me, Satan!” If you want to follow me, Jesus tells them, you must deny yourself. Take up your cross. You will have to give your life if you wish to save it.

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Feb. 25, 2018

Abraham’s Journey from Ur to Canaan. Oil on canvas (1850), by József Molnár (1821-1899). Hungarian National Gallery. (Click image to enlarge.)

Our first reading this week turns to another great Old Testament covenant: God’s promise to Abram and Sarai, whom God calls to go to a new land at a great age. They are given new names – Abraham and Sarah – and receive God’s promise that they and their offspring will yield a great multitude of nations and that God will be with their offspring forever. This seems surprising, considering that Abram is 99 and they have had no children yet. Unlike God’s unconditional covenant with Noah that we heard last week, this covenant is reciprocal: In order for their offspring to gain the Promised Land (a promise made in the verses that our Sunday reading skips over), they and their descendants must “walk before God and be blameless.”

Psalm: Psalm 22:22-30

The theme of God’s covenant with Abraham and Sarah, through their grandson Jacob, the son of their son Isaac, echoes in Sunday’s Psalm portion. The Psalmist exults in the eternal nature of that covenant with Jacob (whom God later renamed Israel), and calls on all of Israel’s offspring to serve God, because as a result of Abraham’s covenant they will be known as God’s own forever. Even now the priest repeats those words in every baptism, while those being welcomed into the household of God are anointed with blessed oil, sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked as Christ’s own for ever.

Second Reading: Romans 4:13-25

Paul, too, evokes the eternal nature of God’s promise to Abraham’s descendants, but he adds something new: Paul reaches out to include Gentile Christians within God’s promise, too. While Abraham’s descendants received God’s covenant through the law, Gentiles who become Christians now receive it through their new faith. Seeking to reconcile a faith community in Rome that included both Jewish and Gentile Christians, Paul assures them that all are now children of Abraham and Sarah, too, through our faith in Jesus’s death and resurrection.

Gospel: Mark 8:31-38

Our Lenten Gospels are bouncing around in Mark, taking us to important points on Jesus’ journey to the Cross rather than following strict chronological order. Here Jesus is telling the disciples things that they do not want to hear. In the verses just preceding these, Jesus asked them who they think he is, and bold Peter blurted out, “You are the Messiah!” Now, Jesus warns, the road ahead will not be easy. He will face rejection, punishment and death before rising again after three days. Now Peter argues with Jesus, taking him aside to challenge that approach. Jesus’ quick response to Peter is startling: “Get behind me, Satan!” If you want to follow me, Jesus tells them, you must deny yourself. Take up your cross. You will have to give your life if you wish to save it.

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for March 1, 2015

Abraham’s dream, 17th century etching by the Bohemian artist Wenceslas Hollar.

Our Lenten readings continue recalling God’s covenants with the people. This week our attention turns to Abraham and Sarah, called by God to go to a new land at a great age. They are given new names and a promise that they and their offspring will yield a great multitude of nations. God will be with them and their children forever. Note well, however, that unlike God’s unconditional covenant with Noah, this covenant requires something more: In order to gain the Promised Land (a promise made in verses that our reading skips over today), Abraham and his people are to “walk before God and be blameless.”

Psalm: Psalm 22:22-30

Today’s Psalm repeats the theme of God’s covenant. The Psalmist exults in the eternal nature of that covenant with Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, who was later named Israel by God. The Psalm shouts thanks and praise that Jacob’s descendants will serve God and will be known as God’s own forever. To this day we remember those words in baptism, when those being welcomed into the household of God are anointed with blessed oil, sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked as Christ’s own for ever.

Second Reading: Romans 4:13-25

Reaching out to the people of the church in Rome before his first visit there, Paul is trying to reconcile a faith community that included both Jewish and Gentile Christians. Paul reminds them that Abraham’s descendants received God’s promise under the law, while Gentiles now receive it through their new faith. We are now children of Abraham and Sarah, too, through our faith in Jesus’s death and resurrection.

Gospel: Mark 8:31-38

In the verses just before this, asked who he thinks Jesus is, bold Peter declared, “You are the Messiah!” Now Jesus warns the disciples that the road ahead will not be easy. He will face rejection, punishment and death before rising again after three days. This is not what Peter wants to hear, but his protests earn him a strong response from Jesus: “Get behind me, Satan!” If you want to follow Jesus, he says, deny yourself. Take up your cross. Prepare to give your life in order to save it.