Living the Lectionary

  "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 posting the Ten Commandments in public spaces will help society adhere to them but i...

Mark 8:27-38 The divine thing Peter’s mind could not comprehend was how his idea of a butt kicking, conquering hero Messiah would 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 out “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1) but I ima...

Genesis 17:1-16 Ninety-nine is not too old for a new life and a name change, though Abraham might have preferred to be circumcised as an inf...

Mark 1:9-15 When immediately after hearing “You are my Son, the Beloved” you are driven into the wilderness where Satan and the wild beasts ...

Psalm 25:1-10 “Do not remember the sins of my youth” is the psalmist 's plea to God for the sins the psalmist cannot forget. It is often...

Genesis 9:8-17 It is not stated plainly but I think “never again” carries with it a certain amount of regret. Or if not regret at least a de...

Mark 9:2-10 How did Peter, James and John know it was Elijah and Moses speaking with Jesus without the benefit of Facebook profile pictures?...

2 Kings 2:1-14 It is a strange story of whirlwinds and water partings and pregnant pauses – “Yes, I know: be silent." But when the mome...

Mark 1:29-39 Jesus needed to get away for awhile just to pray. He wasn’t escaping from the burden of being a blessing to a feverish mother-i...

1 Corinthians 9:16-23 “I have become all things to all people” is not such a good thing to be unless it is “all for the sake of the Gospel” ...

Psalm 147 The God of abundant power, who can hurl down hail like crumbs and whip up a winter storm on a whim, is the same God who heals the ...

Isaiah 40:21-31 “Why do you say, my way is hidden from the Lord?” is the complaint of a person wearied by life’s demands. And having been “t...

Mark 1:21-28 Speaking as a scribe – with an unclean spirit - I‘m not sure what to think about this. I’m not saying I’m possessed; unless we’...

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 Differences in theology and practice rarely lead one side to change behavior so as not to offend the other. The more na...

Psalm 111 The gracious and merciful Lord is ever mindful of his covenant, which is to say God remembers us even if we forget to give thanks ...