Category Archive

DAY OF PENTACOST FIRST READING Acts 2: 1 – 21 Today we return to the opening parts of Acts. The twelve disciples, including Matthias, elected to replace Judas, have witnessed the assumption of Jesus into heaven. They have gathered, one supposes, to ponder what they should do next. What an answer! Tongues of fire, not even mediated by an angel, a fiery Holy Spirit sent directly from God light upon each “Apostles.” The word means “one sent upon a mission.” God as imbued them with the Holy Spirit which they must pass on to others. It is the beginning of …

SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER FIRST LESSON Acts 16: 9 – 15 When we began this series of readings from Acts, I mentioned the change in speakers toward the end of the book, the “we passages.” Here is one of them, a companion of Paul telling about their activities. The identity of this speaker remains a mystery, and no one has a certain explanation why the passages should appear among Paul’s letters. I find it exciting to get this unexpected picture of Paul, the practical mystic. He not only has a vision, but it acts upon it at once, even though …

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER FIRST LESSON 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 heard 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 FIRST LESSON Acts 9: 36 – 43 In Acts, Chapter 9, Peter brings about two miracles, the second of which you will hear about today. Both results 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 Jews law tanners were unclean because they worked with animal carcasses. Aside …

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER FIRST LESSON 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 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 FIRST LESSON Acts 5: 27 – 32 We begin today a series of eight readings from the earliest history of the church, the Acts of the Apostles. Non 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 For this, our most holy, mysterious, and joyful day of the year, only one comment is appropriate: Christ has risen!                   © Arthur H. Cash

PALM SUNDAY 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 preserve their religion. As you know, the Christian tradition and doctrine is to take the entire Old Testament as prophetic of Christ. Read …

FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT 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 released to extinguish …

FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT 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 keep the first …