Category Archive

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER 28 April 2013 FIRST READING Acts 11:1-18 The earliest Christians were Jerusalem Jews.  The major theme of Acts is the story of how, under the urging of Peter and Paul, the church decided to convert gentiles.  (May I remind you that the term “gentile” means anyone who is not Jewish?)  In our reading, we hear how the Jerusalem church was shocked to hear that Peter had been converting gentiles.  They called him to return, and today we hear his defense.  He begins with the fascinating vision he had of being told by God to eat meat …

FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER 21 April 2013 FIRST READING Acts 9:36-43 In Acts, Chapter 9, Peter brings about two miracles, the second of which you will hear about today.  Both result in many conversions to “the Way.”  Throughout Acts, miracles lead to faith.  Yet in the gospel of John, the risen Christ says to doubting Thomas, “have you believed because you have seen me?  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” (20:29). It is significant that Peter stayed with a tanner.  In Jewish law tanners were unclean because they worked with animal carcasses.  Aside …

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER 14 April 2013 FIRST READING Acts 9:1-20 Today we hear the remarkable story of the conversion of Paul.  In Acts, Paul (his Latin name) is sometimes called Saul (his Greek name).  The name “Christian” had not come into being; instead the movement is called “the Way.”  There also are two other accounts in the Acts of the conversion, both told by Paul (22:1-29); 26:1-23).  Paul had been a leader of the Pharisees who persecuted Christians and had been in charge when they stoned to death St. Stephen (7:54 – 8:3).  In his dramatic conversion, Paul had …

SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER 7 April 2013 FIRST READING Acts 5:27-32 We begin today a series of eight readings from the earliest history of the church, the Acts of the Apostles.  Not history in the modern sense, it is more like the story of the advancements of the Holy Spirit.  From as early as the second century, the authorship has been attributed to Luke, the evangelist.  Although no certain proof has been found, the vast majority of Biblical scholars have agreed.  No doubt Luke had intended his gospel and history of the church to appear together, two volumes of one …

EASTER DAY 31 March 2013 For this, our most holy, mysterious, and joyful day of the year, only one comment is appropriate: Christ has risen!

PALM SUNDAY 24 March 2013   FIRST LESSON Isaiah 50:4-9a Our reading is one of several passages in Second Isaiah (Chapters 40-54) about the “Suffering Servant.”  Because he attempts to teach God’s word, the Servant is turned upon, cast out, beaten, spit upon (especially Chapter 53).  When one looks at the context of these passages, he can have no doubt that for the original readers the Servant was a metaphor for the body of Jews who remained faithful during their slavery at Babylon, the Jews who preserved their religion.  As you know, the Christian tradition and doctrine is to take …

FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT 17 March 2013   FIRST LESSON Isaiah 43:16-21. Second Isaiah prophesies the return from bondage in Babylon.  In his vision, God addresses the Jews, reminding them how he helped their ancestors escape from Egypt.  But let the past go, for he will now do a new thing: he will bring Israel back from Babylon in an act which will renew the land and, more importantly, establish a nation whose purpose will be to praise God.  The speaker/poet uses images that will appeal to desert people, waters that God pushed aside to allow their escape and then …

FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT 10 March 2013   FIRST LESSON Joshua 5:9-12. The Israelites are drawing close to the goal of their long trek from Egypt.  They have passed the Dead Sea to the south and come northward along its eastern bank.  They have now turned to the west, crossed over the Jordan River (with some divine help), and entered the promised land, a territory occupied by a variety of ethnic peoples.  They are approaching a Canaanite city that stands in their way.  They cleans themselves by circumcising all the men; they sit tight until the men are healed.  Then …

THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT 3 March 2013   FIRST LESSON Exodus 3:1-15. Moses, the youthful outlaw from Egypt, found shelter and employment at Midian, and married one of the daughters of the mysterious priest of Midian, Jethro.  The Midianites worshiped a single, universal God who, I believe, was Yahweh.  God’s commissioning of Moses takes place in the area of a Midianite altar.  I am among those who hold that Moses learned the worship of Yahweh from Jethro. Our translation along with many others may not get right the name God announces is his.  In the original Hebrew text, it is …

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY 27 January 2013 FIRST LESSON The books of  Ezra and Nehemiah were originally one book, probably intended to be a sequel to Chronicles.  Chronicles tells of the Babylonian exile and the destruction of Jerusalem.  Ezra and Nehemiah tell the story of the return from the exile and the re-establishment of a Jewish society in and around Jerusalem.  Under Nehemiah’s supervision, they have rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, including a gate on the east side of the city called the Water Gate.  Now the people have gathered before the Water Gate to hear Ezra read to …