Living the Lectionary

Mark 5:21-43 It is a story of two women healed (even if one is girl). Both are anonymous – one named by a condition – the other by a r...

2 Corinthians 8:7-15 The context for this portion of the Corinthian correspondence is the collection for the saints in Jerusalem who were ...

Psalm 30 Psalm 30 knows a thing or two about suffering. Enemies threatened. Health was lost. The mouth of the grave was wide open. The nig...

Lamentations 3:22-33 Lamentations is not the happiest book in the Bible. It may be the most honest. The good news is that honesty does n...

Mark 4:35-41 It was Jesus’ idea to sail across the lake but it was the disciples who took him in the boat “just as he was.” It’s an odd th...

2 Corinthians 6:1-13 If the contentious Corinthians were not the proverbial “thorn” in Paul’s flesh they were certainly a pain in the you ...

Psalm 107:1-3 ,  23-32 Psalm 107 is a long song that details the troubles the people of God get into when they rebel against God’s command...

Job 38:1-11 After 37 chapters Job finally gets his day in the celestial court although after God’s opening argument Job surrenders and cop...

Mark 4:26-34 I think explaining a parable is like repeating the punch line of a joke and asking “get it?” It never works quite as well bec...

2 Corinthians 5:6-17 Before you get overly concerned (and therefore less than confident) with “all of us must appear before the judgment s...

Psalm 92:1-4;   12-15 Psalm 92 is listed as a song for the Sabbath day but it is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord every day, mornin...

Ezekiel 17:22-24 The prophet Ezekiel imagines the Lord as the One who provides shade and shelter and sustenance for all creatures great an...

Mark 3:20-35 So much for family values! It is clear from the scriptures that Jesus raised a ruckus and people have been trying to quiet hi...

2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 is found in the occasional services book and is suggested for use in times of illness or w...

Psalm 130 I’ve kept watch for more than one morning and the coming day is always too slow to dawn. That is the nature of waiting while c...

Genesis 3:8-15 The story of our beginning does not have to be literally true to tell the truth about us. We, like our first parents, would...

John 3:1-17 The truth of “God so loved the world…” is diminished if we add conditional clauses that limit the ability of the wind of the S...

Romans 8:12-17 I will admit I’m in hock to the flesh and cannot conceive a payment plan that will get me out of debt anytime soon. Based o...

Psalm 29 Hills skipping and mountains bucking are not that pleasant when one is in close proximity. In the same way we prefer our forests ...

Isaiah 6:1-8 The call story of the prophet Isaiah is filled with fanciful details that defy explanation. The hem of the Lord “high and lif...