Last week’s lectionary Gospel (John 1:29-42) included John’s version of the calling of the first disciples. This week we are back in Matthew (the main Gospel for Year A) for a very different telling of the same story. Matthew 4:12-23 Like last week’s text, Matthew 4:12-23 includes more that just the calling of the first […]
A Children’s Sermon on John 1:29-42
Last week I included a little children’s sermon as part of my Monday Meditation. One reader suggested I do more of these, and maybe post them separately. So here you go with one for this Sunday on John 1:29-42! If people like the idea I’ll do more, so let me know. A Children’s Sermon on […]
Monday Meditation: RCL Year A, Second Sunday after the Epiphany, John 1:29-42
On the Sunday after we celebrated “The Baptism of the Lord,” the lectionary gives us… the baptism of the Lord. Sort of. More precisely, we have John the Baptist recognizing Jesus as “the Lamb of God.” Plus other stuff. It’s all cool, and very different from the same material in the other Gospels. John 1:29-42 […]
Monday Meditation: RCL Year A, Baptism of the Lord, Matthew 3:13-17
On the Sunday after Epiphany the Western Church celebrates the Baptism of the Lord. For the Eastern Church, Epiphany itself, January 6, is focused on this same event. And as I’ve noted before, in the East this celebration is a very big deal — along with Christmas and Easter it is a the top of […]
Monday Meditation: RCL Year A, Advent 4, Matthew 1:18-25
On the Fourth Sunday of Advent we finally seem to find what we thought the season was for: We are anticipating the birth of Jesus. This is the week of his first “advent,” or “arrival,” among us. The lectionary Gospel readings brought us here through a hurky-jerky journey. It is “Year A,” when the texts […]