December 18 - Advent

Today’s Scriptures: Lectionary selections from the Revised Common Lectionary Year C Isaiah 11:1-9 Numbers 16:20-35 Acts 28:23-31

Today’s Reflection: Isaiah brings us a lovely pastoral setting with natural enemies thriving together. Lions, lambs, cows, bears all feed together peacefully. The nature of predator and prey become alike. Notably, even the cursed relationship between snake and humankind reverted to peaceful coexistence.   This ideal setting comes in the verses following description of the coming leader’s judgment. He judges based on the character in people’s hearts – not what is seen or heard. The animal parable that follows reflects the change that comes in the hearts of those who follow Christ. We maintain our identity, but our character reflects the character God created in us in the garden. The passage brings us a glimpse of the new creation promised.   Until his coming, the world continues in its present path but as his believers, we can do our part to impact our little part of it.

Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org

 

December 17 - Advent

Today’s Scriptures: Lectionary selections from the Revised Common Lectionary Year C Isaiah 11:1-9 Numbers 16:1-19 Hebrews 13:7-17

Today’s Reflection: The holiday season’s business seems overwhelming. There is so much to do, so many invitations to manage, so many people to see. In a time when we are supposed to be happy, we often seem more harried.   One reason I focus on joy in my life is the steady constancy that comes with it. Above so many fleeting events and emotions, the constant satisfaction that comes with joy helps make those other things seem insignificant. Hebrews 13:8 draws us to that same characteristic in the Lord. He is the same always. I take joy in the certainty that my God remains a constant force on which I can count.

Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org

 

December 16 - Third Sunday in Advent

Today’s Scriptures: Lectionary selections from the Revised Common Lectionary Year C Zephaniah 3:14-20 Isaiah 12:2-6 Philippians 4:4-7 Luke 3:7-8

Today’s Reflection: O come, O come, Emmanuel And ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel. Our joy, our rejoicing comes in the knowledge that Emmanuel has come to us and will come again. The Philippians passage brings us into a time that exceeds joy to rejoicing. Joy (should) fills us because we have the spirit with us at all times, but then there are the times that we rejoice. Joy tends to be subtle and content to contain itself. Rejoicing blasts that joy to everyone present. There are times to rejoice. Today is such a day. Open your heart. Open your soul. Open your voice. Let us show the world the joy we know. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, all Christendom.

Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org

 

December 15 - Advent

Today’s Scriptures: Lectionary selections from the Revised Common Lectionary Year C Isaiah 12:2-6 Amos 9:8-15 Luke 1:57-66

Today’s Reflection: Yesterday, I was greeted by one of my students declaring she wanted to meet with me the next day. Moments later her best friend came up to me asking, “has she told you about her condition?” In the south, “condition” only means one thing. I looked back to my student. She looked at me earnestly and said, “You’re going to be a grandpa.” That is not the news I wanted to hear. A teen pregnancy in our times rarely counts as a blessing, but in the life of Zechariah and Elizabeth, children were the ultimate blessing and ensured a legacy. They had been considered barren. The arrival of a child affirmed the holy lives they led.   Even with the blessing of the coming child controversy surrounded the naming of the newborn baby. While Elizabeth insisted on naming him John, the relatives challenged her because none of the relatives had that name. Tradition called for the child to be named after a relative. Elizabeth was insistent and her (mute for the duration of the pregnancy) husband finally asked for a tablet to write. He agreed with his wife and his speech returned. Tradition provides a certain level of comfort – those actions are comfortable and familiar. Doing God’s will, though brings a level of joy that surpasses the ease of tradition.   In this third week of Advent, with the focus on joy, the story of Elizabeth and Zechariah offers the perfect focal point. Elizabeth and Zechariah experienced great joy with the birth of their son, but even greater joy at following direction from God. By naming him John, they followed God’s guidance and the blessing of a child was multiplied to them. Joy exceeds almost every other emotion in spirituality. We see the fullness that joy creates in the story of the birth of John the Baptist and it gives perfect guidance for the Advent week that focuses on joy.

Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org

 

December 14 - Advent

Today’s Scriptures: Lectionary selections from the Revised Common Lectionary Year C Isaiah 12:2-6 Amos 8:4-12 2 Corinthians 9:1-15

Today’s Reflection: “Imagine” by John Lennon Imagine there's no heaven It's easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people living for today Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people living life in peace   The passage from Amos brings us close to the world in John Lennon’s “Imagine.” Lennon, though, believed it would lead to a world of peace and prosperity for all involved. Unfortunately, history shows us something different. The Hebrews, for whom Amos prophesied, thrived on greed and manipulation of the most needy. They cheated with the weights and manipulated the currency to take advantage of those who did business with them. They cursed religious rules that forbid them to sell on religious holidays and on the Sabbath.   Beyond natural disasters, God promises a famine like no other: he will remove himself from the land revealing that such a famine would be worse than hunger or thirst. The absence of the word of God in the land removes all joy and hope. Those who seek such removal from God do not understand exactly what such a removal mean. God’s law, his presence, does much more than we imagine.   Whenever doing the right thing interferes with what we want to do, we may wish we did not have religious obligations standing in the way of what we want to do. However, we likely challenge the actions of others that impact us in a negative way. The absence of God does not accomplish our desires or bring the world closer to peace. Instead, were God to remove himself, we would find just the opposite. There will be no peace and no hope for joy.

Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org

 

December 13 - Advent

Today’s Scriptures: Lectionary selections from the Revised Common Lectionary Year C Isaiah 12:2-6 Amos 6:1-8 2 Corinthians 8:1-15

Today’s Reflection: Entering the third week of Advent, we begin to focus on joy. Today’s passages focus on the joy that comes from participation in the work of God. The passage in 2 Corinthians relates the activities of two churches – one with great blessings and one with great need. Their responses to the challenges before them told much about the church’s passion.   The church facing challenge and struggle, participated at and above their means in the work of the new ministry. The Macedonian churches maintained the “abundant joy” despite the challenges they faced as they were eager to do God’s work. Joy overcame oppression.   The Corinthians, while being blessed with abundance, gave well; however, the author implies that the intention behind the giving did not match the joy of the church at Macedonia. The passage implies that they resented supporting other churches in their need thus resented doing the work of God.   The concept of social justice permeates each of the passages today, but it dominates the Corinthians passage. Regardless of our means, God holds us responsible for one another. We are to care for one another to make sure needs (not wants, but NEEDS) are met. That is the work of God: the more deeply we involve ourselves in it, the greater the joy we achieve.

Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org

 

December 12 - Advent

Today’s Scriptures: Lectionary selections from the Revised Common Lectionary Year C Psalm 126 Isaiah 35:3-7 Luke 7:18-30

Today’s Reflection: As we come to the conclusion of week two of Advent and the focus on peace, we return again to the topics of repentance and salvation through descriptions of the ministries of John and Jesus. Both topics disrupt and change our lives so drastically. Such disruptions usually cause anything but peace; however, in the case of repentance and salvation, both bring exactly that.   The repentance symbolized in the ministry of John removes a weight and burden from the person making the confession. Removing the secrecy of sin, minor or major, removes the guilt that comes from the knowledge of having done wrong. Whether to God or another person, admitting that I have done wrong allows me to move beyond that guilt and keep an inner peace.   The salvation that comes from the ministry of Jesus leads to the ultimate peace. Knowing that no matter what happens we have the Lord’s promise of salvation that leads to eternal peace. Regardless of the life changing effects that come with salvation, that feeling of peace pervades every situation.   In the ministry of John the Baptist, we see a cleansed living that provides a pathway to God. In the ministry of Jesus, we see a restoration to complete living through gifts from God. Repentance and salvation both guide us into the peace that God desires for all of us. We need to embrace the joy that comes from each.

Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org

 

December 9, 2012 - Second Sunday of Advent - Roman Catholic Lectionary

Today's Scriptures:

First Reading:                 Bar 5:1-9

Psalm:                            Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6

Second Reading:              Phil 1:4-6, 8-11

Gospel Reading:              Luke 3:1-6

December 11 - Advent

Today’s Scriptures: Lectionary selections from the Revised Common Lectionary Year C Psalm 126 Isaiah 19:18-25 2 Peter 1:2-15

Today’s Reflection: Yesterday, the passage in Isaiah prompted the question, “Who am I that God would know me?” The passage in 2 Peter today answers that question, or rather refines it to “Who should I be…?” and it adds perhaps a more important question, “How do others know who we are?”   2 Peter 1:5-7 outlines a series of personal qualities that define the believer. Faith. Goodness. Knowledge. Self-control. Endurance. Godliness. Mutual affection. Love. As important as these words are, the word that comes between magnifies their power. None of the qualities exists in isolation, but each connects to the others. The connecting “with” increases the effect of the others. We cannot reach faith without love.   These qualities answer both questions. God knows us through our faith and the world knows us through demonstration of the qualities that bring us to God. The more we live these qualities, the more we effectively and fruitfully accomplish the works God has set for us to do. God knows who I am through my faith. The world knows who I am through my actions.

Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org

 

December 10 - Advent

Today’s Scriptures: Lectionary selections from the Revised Common Lectionary Year C Psalm 126 Isaiah 40:1-11 Romans 8:22-25

Today’s Reflection: We receive the pathway to peace from by repentance leading toward salvation. Both create a connection to that which is bigger than us. The idea of being connected to that which is larger than we are continues through the passages today. Isaiah contrasts our weak, brittle, temporal existence to the forceful, strong, eternal existence of God.   The idea that “that which is bigger than us” remains so intimately connected to us mostly overwhelms me. Who am I that God cares? The unimaginable disparity between our natures forces me to pause and consider the Lord with each good thing that happens with me.   Peace comes when I realize that God has my back. Anyone who would be against me is just like me - grass that withers. God is as different from that person as God is different from me and his power over them is equally great.   Thanks be to God for having my back!

Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org