[RCL] Genesis 1:1-5; Psalm 29; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11 Paul said to the disciples in Ephesus: ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’ They replied, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’ Then he said, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ They answered, ‘Into John’s baptism’” (Acts…

RCL: 1 Samuel 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20, (11:14-15); Psalm 138; 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1; Mark 3:20-35 “We look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18) In the Gospel of Mark, the emphasis is on Jesus…

The Paradox of Judas: ultimate betrayer or player in the cosmic drama of salvation? Today’s gospel passage begins, “After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared ‘Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.’” Looking back to what Jesus has just said, we hear these words, spoken after he has…

Light has sprung up for the righteous, and joyful gladness for those who are truehearted! Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, and give thanks to God’s holy name! (Psalm 97) Christmas Day in our churches has a different kind of light than Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is all stars and brightness, angels and adoration and…

[RCL] Exodus 17:1-7, Psalm 95, Romans 5:1-11, John 4:5-42 O come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! O come and see a man who told me everything…

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord from the heavens! Praise the Lord from the earth! Let us praise the name of the Lord, for God’s name only is exalted, God’s splendor is over earth and heaven. Amen. Today’s readings situate the early church within the Jewish culture of first-century Judea. The passage from the Acts of the…

This week we continue our Pentecost tour through Genesis, Romans, and the parables and stories of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. We have two unsettling encounters: the meeting of Joseph and his brothers, and the meeting of Jesus and the Canaanite woman. The Genesis stories of our founding fathers and mothers are often perplexing….

[RCL]: Genesis 29:15-28; Psalm 105:1-11, 45b, Romans 8:26-39, Matthew 13:31-33,44-52 Today’s reading from the Epistle to the Romans includes some of the most familiar and comforting words from Paul the Apostle, messenger, teacher and preacher: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor…

[RCL] Acts 17:22-31, Psalm 66:7-18, 1 Peter 3:13-22, John 14:15-21 The Acts of the Apostles, or the Book of Acts, follows the work of the early Christian community in the years immediately following Christ’s death and resurrection. Thus readings from Acts are particularly appropriate in the weeks following Easter Day. In today’s reading, Saul, now…

[RCL] Exodus 3:1-15, Psalm 63:1-8, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Luke 13:1-9 From lightning and tempest; from earthquake, fire, and flood; from plague, pestilence, and famine, from violence and oppression, and from dying suddenly and unprepared, Good Lord, deliver us. Amen. Today’s gospel reading opens with two rather perplexing and distressing examples of dying suddenly and unprepared….