Living the Lectionary

Zechariah 9:9-12 On the day that Jesus rode Zechariah’s vision into Jerusalem the daughters of Zion shouted “Hosanna!” and for a moment t...

John 21:15-19 Jesus relentless questioning might seem harsh to our ears but Peter’s threefold “I love you” was meant to make up for his ...

Matthew 10:37-42 Ok. Truth to be told I love my parents and children as much as I love Jesus which would seem to make me more worthy of ...

James Brown - "the hardest working man in show business" 1 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18 I imagine we would all like to make this cla...

Romans 6:12-23 The “therefore” of Romans 6:12 is made possible by the new relationship with God that begins with death. Not the kind o...

Psalm 34 In his letter to the Corinthians Paul details the hardships he endured for the sake of the Gospel – beatings, imprisonment, s...

Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18 Psalm 89 is a love song to the Lord written by Ethan the Ezrahite, a cymbal player in Solomon’s temple band. His...

Acts 12:1-11 James the son of thunder has been silenced by Herod and even though Peter escapes this time his days are numbered and marty...

Jeremiah 28:5-9 Jeremiah’s “Amen!” should be read as an “Oh really?” because the weeping prophet knows none of the exiles are coming hom...

Matthew 10:24-39 The less than gentle words of Jesus – whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me… are tempere...

Romans 6:1-11 A common misunderstanding of the Lutheran theological dependency on God’s grace is what appears to be a leniency towards s...

Psalm 69:7-18 In the baptismal liturgy we invoke the images of Psalm 69:14-15 over the water in the font; “By the baptism of his death a...

Jeremiah 20:7-13 The prophet Jeremiah might be complaining in these passages but he isn’t weeping because the Lord has prevailed over J...

Matthew 28:16-20 I wonder how many disciples who “worshipped him” were included in the “some doubted” list. Since “some” is more than ...

2 Corinthians 13:5-13 These are the last recorded words of Paul to the contentious Corinthians. The beginning of this short chapter a...

Psalm 8 The God of majesty and might, who flung the stars and moon into the sky and with infinite imagination created all creatures grea...

Genesis 1:1-2:4 “In the beginning God created…” seems to divide the Trinity by function, the Father calling forth Creation while the Son...

Psalm 104:24-34 What might it mean that the Leviathan, formed to folic, is terrified despite its size when “you hide your face?” The psa...

John 20:19-23 John’s Pentecost arrives with less fanfare than Luke’s but perhaps with greater weight. No rushing wind, no tongues of fir...

1 Corinthians 12:3-13 Spiritual gifts are given for the common good even if the Corinthians, puffed up with pride, can’t see the common ...