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FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS DAY FIRST LESSON Isaiah 61:10 – 62:3 Here we have a poem from “Third Isaiah” prophesying the rise of Jerusalem after the Exile. In a bold metaphor, the City itself speaks, comparing itself first to a bride of God, and then to God’s garden. Then the voice of the prophet takes over to sing his vision of rebuilt Jerusalem as a splendid testimony of God’s glory. The name Zion was originally that of the spike of mountain jutting out above the Kidron Valley where David built his fort. It is often called the City of David. …

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT FIRST LESSON Micah 5:2-5a Micah (writing about 725 BCE) was a younger contemporary of First Isaiah, but far from being a court prophet, Micah was a young man from the country who distrusted city folk. Jerusalem would fall to enemies from Mesopotamia because of the corruption of its rulers (3:9-12).  It would eventually rise again under the leadership of a descendent of David born in the insignificant village of Bethlehem. He shall care for the people like a shepherd feeds his flock (the image of a country boy). He shall bring them through ages in safety …

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT FIRST LESSON Zephaniah 3:14-20 Zephaniah was another court poet like First Isaiah, some think even of royal lineage. He must have flourished in the court of the great reformer, Josiah, and like his king become a strict adherer to the laws of the Torah. After predicting doom for those who have corrupted the religion, he prophesies that glorious salvation of Israel by a personal God who will come among them and inspire them to victory in warfare and compassion for the afflicted and will make them renowned to all peoples. SECOND LESSON Philippians 4:4-7 Our reading …

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT FIRST LESSON Baruch 5:1-9 The word ‘bible’ means “book.” Before the invention of the printing press, what we call the “Bible” was called “Library” because each of the books was separate from the others, either as a codex, that is hand-scripted pages bound like a book, or a scroll. There must have been many synagogues and churches that could not afford or could not house such a large collection. So it would have been handy to have choice items from the Library collected in one book. Baruch is such a collection, a pastiche of stories and …

ADVENT SUNDAY   Today we begin the third year of the three-year cycle of readings. These readings are the outcome of an ecumenical movement to draw together various sects in the US and Canada. The resulting schedule is now followed by many Roman Catholic parishes, the entire world-wide Anglican Communion, and numerous sects.   FIRST LESSON Jeremiah 33:14-16 Disaster awaits Jerusalem. The Babylonians and their allies the Chaldeans have taken the northern nation of Judah and are now marching toward Jerusalem. Jeremiah begins to prophesy. Jerusalem will fall, he tells the people, for God is now punishing the Israelites for …

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT FIRST READING Exodus 17:1-7 In fleeing from Egypt, the Israelites have to cross a vast desert named Sin (no allegory intended: it is just a name). They came to what they thought was an oasis of Rephidim, but it had gone dry. Now at their first difficulty they demeand to know whether God is with them or not? Moses does not produce water for them, so they think God passed the test. But it is sinful to test God. Moses names the place Massah, meaning “challenge,” and Meribah, meaning “dispute.” SECOND READING Romans 5:1-11 Paul continues …

SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT FIRST READING Genesis 12:1-4a This is the story of the commissioning of Abram (whom God at a later time will re-name Abraham).  Abram was reared in the city of Ur, an advanced civilization in Mesopotamia, but had migrated to Haran, also in the fertile lands of Mesopotamia, where he was enjoying a prosperous life when God called him. God promises great rewards, but Abram must give up a good life to go to a wilderness frontier. The author of the Book of Hebrews saw Abram’s obedience to God’s call as perfect faith (Heb. 11:8).     …

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT FIRST READING Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7 Our lessen is taken from what may be the most widely read, most talked about, most loved story in the world, the story of the creation by “J.” This unidentified writer flourished about 850 BCE.  He was given the name “J” by German scholars because he regularly spoke of God by his name, “Yahweh,” but that name in German is spelled with a “j” (in the King James Bible, the name is rendered “Jehovah”).      The opening creation story is from another source. J’s story begins at Chapter 2, verse 5. …

LAST SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY FIRST READING Exodus 24:12–18 This passage is the prelude and preparation for Moses’s presentation of the tablet bearing the ten commandments. It is out of place. The commandments have already been presented, in Chapter 20. Probably this passage originally appeared immediately before that event. Some editor or editors seems to have been messing around cutting the original manuscripts into small pieces and then pasting them together in a new way. He made a mess of it. Note: Aaron was the brother and chief spokesperson for Moses who became eventually the first high priest. Hur is mentioned …

SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY FIRST READING Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-19 The first five books of the Old Testament constitute what Jews call the Torah. The similar, though not exact, English word is “Law.” We often call it the Pentateuch  (Five Books). By tradition, Moses is the author of these books–except for the end of Deuteronomy telling of Moses’s death. As I discovered when I taught a college course in the Bible, for some fundamentalist Protestants, Moses’s authorship is more than tradition: it is just plain fact.  I take a more historical position. When the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem in the sixth century …