In Year B, the Gospel for the third Sunday in Lent jumps from Mark to John. The text is John 2:13-22, “the cleansing of the temple.” It is a strange time to leave Mark behind: Mark tells the same story in chapter 11, but the lectionary never selects it. We read it in Lent, and […]
The Transfiguration — Mark 9:2-9
Duccio di Buoninsegna – Transfiguration (public domain) This Sunday is “Transfiguration Sunday” in the West, and so in Year B the Revised Common Lectionary gives us Mark 9:2-9. The same text will be one of the options just two weeks from now, on the 2nd Sunday of Lent. The Transfiguration Unlike last week’s Gospel, this […]
A Day in the Life of Jesus — Mark 1:29-39
For Year B, on the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany, the Revised Common Lectionary Gospel text is Mark 1:29-39. It is more “a day in the life of Jesus” than on one of those texts that makes a single, unified point. A Day in the Life of Jesus That is to say, it is an amazing […]
The Presentation of Jesus — Luke 2:22-40
On the First Sunday after Christmas, the Revised Common Lectionary offers us the text known as “The Presentation of Jesus.” It’s Luke 2:22-40 and comes in four distinct scenes. The Presentation The scene is set for the Presentation with references to the Holy Family and the law of God. We tend to picture just three […]
The Annunciation — Luke 1:26-38 on Advent 3
On the Third Sunday of Advent, Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary gives us Luke 1:26-38. It is the story of “the Annunciation,” nine months before Christmas. But we are in December, chronologically only a week-and-a-half before Mary will give birth. It’s all good. Advent is an excellent time to think about the promise […]