Living the Lectionary

  Psalm 118 The Lord is the psalmist’s strength and song because in the “day that the Lord has made” the right arm of the Lord has acted val...

  Acts 10:34-43 God’s “no partiality” is still particular even if the promise to the Jews was extended to Gentiles. That doesn’t mean the na...

The Passion According to Mark The Passion of the Christ according to Mark begins with a woman (name forgotten) who is remembered for her cos...

  Philippians 2:5-11 I cannot say equality with God is something that I would let go of and I’m guessing you wouldn’t either. And if I found...

  Psalm 31:9-16 Psalm 31 is the song of sorrow for the multitudes who suffer strength failing sighs and waste away with grief. Scorned by en...

  Isaiah 50:4-9 James, the brother of the Lord, presumes teachers will be judged more strictly for no other reason than presuming to be teac...

John 12:20-33 “We wish to see Jesus.” My grandmother, Lillian Smith, saw Jesus at the foot of her bed a few nights before she died. Her dog ...

Hebrews 5:5-10 There’s not much to say about Melchizedek since he’s really just a bit player in the Bible and most of what is said about him...

Psalm 51:1-12 All sin is “against you only” which means the careless ways we think and talk about our neighbor are careless thoughts and wor...

  Jeremiah 31:31-34 The days “that are surely coming” have been coming for a long time unless you believe they have already come, in which c...

John 3:14-21 Hezekiah broke the bronze serpent into pieces (2 Kings 18:3-4) because the people were burning incense to it – which you might ...

Psalm 107 Psalm 107 is a long song that describes the rebellious ways of God’s people. It is something most of us don't like to acknowle...

  Numbers 21:4-9 If the Lord could talk to Moses through a burning bush, beat the great and powerful Oz (Pharaoh) at his own game and part t...

  "Christ Driving the Money Changers from the Temple" by New Zealand artist Michael Smither, 1972 (Victoria University of Wellingt...

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 The message about the cross has become so familiar it has lost much of its foolishness to those who are perishing.  An...

Psalm 19 “Above all keep me from presumptuous sins “is how the NRSV translates “keep back your servant from the insolent” that would gain do...

  Genesis 20:1-20 I know that well-meaning people believe that posting the Ten Commandments in public spaces will help society adhere to the...

Mark 8:27-38 The divine thing Peter’s mind could not comprehend was how his idea of a butt kicking, conquering hero Messiah could undergo gr...

Romans 4:13-25 Abraham “is the father of us all” is how Paul puts it. Three faiths claim what Paul proclaims. Father Abraham and Mother Sara...

                                                                     Fountain of Tears Psalm 22:23-31 The Gospels only record Jesus crying o...