4th Sunday of Advent

The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for the Season of Advent Click here for more information. Overview and Connections The first week of Advent always looks forward to Christ’s second coming. The 2nd and 3rd Sundays focus on John the Baptist, announcing Christ’s first coming as he began his earthly ministry. This fourth Sunday is always READ MORE

3rd Sunday of Advent

The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for the Season of Advent Click here for more information. Overview and Connections Last week we heard from the fiery character of John in the desert, calling us to a complete turn, a total transformation of life. Such deep-rooted change can feel overwhelming, so we are balanced this week by READ MORE

2nd Sunday of Advent

The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for the Season of Advent Click here for more information. Overview and Connections Last Sunday focused on Christ’s future second coming. Today we shift to the past, when John the Baptist heralded Christ’s first coming. And this first coming is not limited to the nativity, as the season might suggest, READ MORE

1st Sunday of Advent

The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for the Season of Advent Click here for more information. Overview and Connections Today, the authors of the Jeremiah passage and Luke have inherited prophecies of something coming, something that once felt urgent, but now seems blunted by the passage of time. These readings speak of promises made but not READ MORE

33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. Daniel 12:1-3 Background of the book V1 begins with “at that time,” so let’s situate this in the larger historical context. Chps 10-12 recount a vision of the Hellenistic wars. Alexander the Great died in 323 BC with no heir. A 30-year READ MORE

32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. 1 Kings 17:10-16 Background of the book Chps 17-19 are stories of Israel’s greatest prophet, Elijah. He began prophesying in the reign of Ahab, who was married to Jezebel, the de facto ruler of the kingdom and Elijah’s staunch enemy. Elijah means READ MORE

31st Sunday of Ordinary Time

The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. Question of the Day: How far are you from the kingdom of God? Deuteronomy 6:2-6 Background of the book The chapter just prior to this reading contained the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments. Christians generally look to these Ten Commandments as a basic READ MORE

30th Sunday of Ordinary Time

The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. Jeremiah 31:7-9 Background of the book Earlier prophets had tried to get the people to mend their ways and return to God before disaster happened. Jeremiah’s message was different: disaster is now inevitable. Accept it and throw yourself on God’s mercy to READ MORE

29th Sunday of Ordinary Time

The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Ordinary Time Click here for more information. If you get the feeling with these readings that you’ve slipped into Holy Week, it may be because on Good Friday we read the same passages from Isaiah and Hebrews. As we near the end of the liturgical year, we get hints READ MORE