JOURNAL
AN ALTERNATIVE NEW TESTAMENT LECTIONARY
This is an interactive discipline to enhance spiritual deepening by using John Winn's own Yale New Testament Lectionary as an alternative to the Common Lectionary. The discipline suggests a Lectio Divina process. If that is unfamiliar to you, simply Google "Lectio Divina" and you will get a multitude of examples.
The best way is "to find your own way." It is the discipline, itself, that really drives the process. My hope is that people who are moved to try this "spiritual practice" will do their own form of Lectio Divina; will sense what words and phrases shimmer off the pages for them and come up with their own prayers and "I Believe" statements. Mine are simply shared as an example. Try writing-out your own. You will be surprised the difference the writing makes. It helps to ponder awhile, too.
~+++~
AN ALTERNATIVE NEW TESTAMENT LECTIONARY
John Winn's Yale Lectionary
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
THE GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 4:1-11
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by
the devil. 2He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he
was famished. 3The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God,
command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ 4But he answered, ‘It is
written, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes
from the mouth of God.”’ 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and
placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6saying to him, ‘If you are the
Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, “He will command his
angels concerning you,” and “On their hands they will bear you up,so that
you will not dash your foot against a stone.”’ 7Jesus said to him, ‘Again
it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’ 8 Again, the
devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of
the world and their splendour; 9and he said to him, ‘All these I will give
you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ 10Jesus said to him, ‘Away with
you, Satan! for it is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only
him.”’ 11Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
WORDS FROM MATTHEW MATTHEW 4:1-11 THAT, TODAY,
LEAP-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEM TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
wilderness tempted bread test worship
A CHALLENGE: WRITE A PRAYER USING ALL THOSE WORDS
How can I worship you, O God, when I feel alienated and alone,
wandering in a wilderness that seems to have no boundaries? I am tempted
to follow every inclination that comes to me as though it is You, helping
me to find my way out. How can I be certain? Would that an angel, a
heavenly messenger, would come to me with the bread of life that has
rejuvenated me before. I know, I know that would help me transform this
test into a challenge that itself would give me the inner strength to
survive---again. Amen.
A PHRASE OR SENTENCE FROM MATTHEW 4:1-11 THAT, TODAY,
LEAPS-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted..."
PERSONAL "I BELIEVE" STATEMENTS ABOUT MATTHEW 4:1-11
I BELIEVE the wilderness can take many forms.
I BELIEVE we make some of our most important decisions
in the wilderness.
I BELIEVE we are never led into a wilderness to be lost and abandoned,
but rather to be found and to find ourselves.
THE EPISTLE READING: HEBREWS 2:8b-18
8b Now in subjecting all things to humans, God left nothing outside their
control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them,
9but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels,
now crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so
that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 It was
fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing
many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect
through sufferings. 11For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified
all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them
brothers and sisters, 12saying,‘I will proclaim your name to my brothers
and sisters,in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.’ 13And
again,‘I will put my trust in him.’And again,‘Here am I and the children
whom God has given me.’ 14 Since, therefore, the children share flesh and
blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death
he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of
death. 16For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the
descendants of Abraham. 17Therefore he had to become like his brothers and
sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high
priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins
of the people. 18Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is
able to help those who are being tested.
WORDS FROM HEBREWS 2:8b-18 THAT, TODAY,
LEAP-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEM TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
control trust power death tested suffered
WRITE A PRAYER USING ALL THOSE WORDS
In my heart, O God, I know what a difference it makes to trust You. But
could you possibly give me a little more control over some things---like
my health, my security, my future, possibly even death itself? Grant me,
please, a cubic centimeter of power so that when I have suffered and been
tested by my limitations I will have strength to overcome. I am not wanting
more than Jesus had; I just want what he had. Help me to be content in
knowing that can only come through trust. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
A PHRASE OR SENTENCE FROM HEBREWS 2:8b-18 THAT, TODAY,
LEAPS-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
"Because he himself was tested by what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested."
PERSONAL "I BELIEVE" STATEMENTS ABOUT HEBREWS 2:8b-18
I BELIEVE in Jesus of Nazareth I can see untold possibilities for my own life.
I BELIEVE I am most likely to realize those possibilities
not by copying Jesus, but by following him, standing where he stands,
standing in the same relationship to God in which he stood.
I BELIEVE it is as important for me to trust that I am a son of God
as it is to believe that Jesus is.
I BELIEVE Jesus allows himself to be "transparent" so through him
we can see all we will ever really need to see about God.
+++
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
THE GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 3:13-17
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.
14John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and
do you come to me?” 15But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is
proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.
16And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water,
suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said,
“This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
WORDS FROM MATTHEW 3:13-17 THAT, TODAY,
LEAP-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEM TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
consented baptized suddenly beloved
A CHALLENGE: WRITE A PRAYER USING ALL THOSE WORDS
How has it happened, O God, that throughout my life I have felt beloved?
How fortunate! My dear parents opened that particular door to my heart.
I am so thankful that, without stifling my own initiative and desire for
independence, they did things for me that I could not do for myself. I
have come to realize that is what they were doing for me when I was baptized
as an infant. You opened my heart to that understanding when later I
consented to take those vows upon myself. This realization did not come
suddenly for me, O God. It has taken a lifetime of growing self-awareness
as to how important it is to feel "beloved." Amen.
A PHRASE OR SENTENCE FROM MATTHEW 3:13-17 THAT, TODAY,
LEAPS-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
"This is my son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."
PERSONAL "I BELIEVE" STATEMENTS ABOUT MATTHEW 3:13-17
I BELIEVE love is central to being able to live a full life.
I BELIEVE I brought my children as infants to be baptized
because I loved them.
I BELIEVE God, the One who gives us life,
loves them even more and meets us, spiritually, at the font.
I BELIEVE God's love is unconditional and never ends
and in baptism I am saying I want to stand, live,
and die with others who feel that way.
THE EPISTLE READING: I CORINTHIANS 11:23-26
23For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the
Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, 24and
when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is
for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25In the same way he took the cup
also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do
this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26For as often as
you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until
he comes.
WORDS FROM I CORINTHIANS 11:23-26 THAT, TODAY,
LEAP-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEM TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
received handed remembrance new covenant
WRITE A PRAYER USING ALL THOSE WORDS
There is so much, dear God, that has simply been handed to me, a sacred
remembrance here, a valuable insight there. Sometimes I have received
them without even knowing how significant they would become. These
freely given trusts are my covenant with both the past and the future.
They are made new with each sacramental step I take toward the Bread
and the Cup, being handed to me again to remind me once more of
Love freely given, in the name of Jesus, Amen.
A PHRASE OR SENTENCE FROM I CORINTHIANS 11:23-26 THAT, TODAY,
LEAPS-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
"Do this in remembrance..."
PERSONAL "I BELIEVE" STATEMENTS ABOUT I CORINTHIANS 11:23-26
I BELIEVE what a covenant community preserves and passes
from generation to generation should be taken very seriously.
I BELIEVE memories that survive betrayal and even death
should be taken very seriously.
I BELIEVE outward and visible signs of an inward
and meaningful truth should be taken very seriously.
+++
EPIPHANY DAY, June 6
THE GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 2:1-12
2In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2asking, ‘Where is the child
who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising,
and have come to pay him homage.’ 3When King Herod heard this, he was
frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4and calling together all the chief
priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah
was to be born. 5They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been
written by the prophet: 6 “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,are by
no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”’ 7 Then Herod secretly called for
the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had
appeared. 8Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently
for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also
go and pay him homage.’ 9When they had heard the king, they set out; and
there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until
it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw that the star
had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11On entering the house, they
saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage.
Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold,
frankincense, and myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return
to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
WORDS FROM MATTHEW 2:1-12 THAT, TODAY,
LEAP-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEM TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
wise star frightened secretly overwhelmed
A CHALLENGE: WRITE A PRAYER USING ALL THOSE WORDS
Dear God, that is what I need to do more often: seek out the wise among us.
Truthfully, though, I am sometimes frightened by wisdom, too easily seduced
by shrewdness. Yet, I know that wisdom can lead me to the Truth and
shrewdness can lead me down a dead-end street. Shrewdness too often moves
about secretly. Wisdom aims to reveal more and more, reaching out to a star,
even, in its quest for Truth. So, dear God, help me to seek out the wise
among us more often, unafraid to be overwhelmed by the Truth to which
wisdom will lead me. Amen.
A PHRASE OR SENTENCE FROM MATTHEW MATTHEW 2:1-12 THAT, TODAY,
LEAPS-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
"...overwhelmed with joy."
PERSONAL "I BELIEVE" STATEMENTS ABOUT MATTHEW 2:1-12
I BELIEVE Herod had reason to be frightened
as the shrewd have reason to be fearful of the wise.
I BELIEVE the Herods of this world do many things secretly
and their secrets clog the arteries of their souls.
I BELIEVE the alternative to shrewdness and secrecy
begins with the Honesty of Creation---that all of Life is a gift,
not to be distorted in any way that stunts its growth and deepening.
I BELIEVE my life is a gift to be valued as is everyone's life.
I BELIEVE that is what the birth of this baby, Jesus, is all about
and that I experience it best whenever
I make some part of who I am a gift to someone else.
THE EPISTLE READING: I PETER 2:4-10
4 Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and
precious in God’s sight, and 5like living stones, let yourselves be built
into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual
sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For it stands in scripture:
‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious;
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’
7To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the very head of the corner’,
8and ‘A stone that makes them stumble,
and a rock that makes them fall.’
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own
people,in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called
you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
10 Once you were not a people,
but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.
WORDS FROM I PETER 2:4-10 THAT, TODAY,
LEAP-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEM TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
living rejected precious chosen mercy
WRITE A PRAYER USING ALL THOSE WORDS
Holy Mystery, these words of scripture are about the kind of living that
actually goes on day by day. It is true that we, that I, have often
rejected the good, the right, the beautiful, the Truth. Sometimes it is
unwitting, but, still, I do not ponder enough what is precious in your sight.
You count me, as you do all humanity, a chosen son, a chosen daughter, but
I do not always choose what you choose. Still, you have patience with my
stubborness; mercy on my bad decisions. I have felt it deep within, like a
summons to a better way, a newer life. At the same time, it seems, you lead
me again and again to that faithful Community of Love, where I find many
who have fathomed the Mystery better than I, and who nurture me as I step
into the deep waters. Gracie! Amen.
A PHRASE OR SENTENCE FROM I PETER 2:4-10 THAT, TODAY,
LEAPS-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
"...chosen and precious in God’s sight...
PERSONAL "I BELIEVE" STATEMENTS ABOUT I PETER 2:4-10
I BELIEVE what started with the birth of Jesus also gave birth of a faithful
Community of Love that has passed that memory from generation to generation.
I BELIEVE that community, especially in its institutional form, is
imperfect, but ever changing, ever moving toward what it is meant to be.
I BELIEVE I can play a part in a movement like that.
I BELIEVE a movement like that can make life better for all humanity.
+++
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS
THE GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 25:31-40
31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him,
then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32All the nations will be
gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a
shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33and he will put the sheep
at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34Then the king will say to
those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit
the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35for I was
hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to
drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me
clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you
visited me.’ 37Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that
we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to
drink? 38And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or
naked and gave you clothing? 39And when was it that we saw you sick or in
prison and visited you?’ 40And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you,
just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,
you did it to me.’
WORDS FROM MATTHEW MATTHEW 25:31-40 THAT, TODAY,
LEAP-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEM TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
gathered inherit least members family
A CHALLENGE: WRITE A PRAYER USING ALL THOSE WORDS
O lover of us all, who loves even the least of us as much as any of us, we
have gathered from time to time to discern what it is that we inherit
from such magnanimous love. In our hearts we know. We have always known.
To act on it, though, seems to require more of me than I have to give. To
actually treat all members of your creation as members of my
own family is, indeed, a stretch. It makes clear how different I am from
You, O God. You do it by nature. I do it when I feel like it and sometimes
not even then. Press me until I know that my inheritance means that my
loving another is the same as my loving you, in the name of the one who is
Love. Amen.
A PHRASE OR SENTENCE FROM MATTHEW 25:31-40 THAT, TODAY,
LEAPS-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
"‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least...'"
PERSONAL "I BELIEVE" STATEMENTS ABOUT MATTHEW 25:31-40
I BELIEVE there have been times when I, myself, have been hungry, thirsty,
a stranger, naked, sick, even imprisioned and someone has loved me.
I BELIEVE those are the moments in which I felt I had experienced God.
I BELIEVE that "Need," whether it be my own or another's, is a summons to
serve and in so doing we serve the One who gives us life.
THE EPISTLE READING: I JOHN 4:7-12; 16-21
7Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who
loves is born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know
God, for God is love. 9God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God
sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10In
this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son
to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Beloved, since God loved us so
much, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; if we
love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.
16So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love,
and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. 17Love
has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day
of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. 18There is no fear
in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment,
and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 19We love because he
first loved us. 20Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or
sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they
have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21The commandment we
have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters
also.
WORDS FROM I JOHN 4:7-12; 16-21 THAT, TODAY,
LEAP-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEM TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
love Son boldness fear first
WRITE A PRAYER USING ALL THOSE WORDS
O God, help us, please, to keep it straight: first, you love us. We have
done little or nothing, even, to deserve that, but it is actually the
order of creation. First, you love us. That is what creation is about. To
make that infinitely clear to us you sent one whom we call your Son, your
own child so that we, in boldness and without fear would dare to love all
you love; not just some of what you love, but all that you love. In those
moments when I can do that, I become aware that I, I, am your child, too.
In the name of Jesus, who showed me the way it is. Amen.
A PHRASE OR SENTENCE FROM I JOHN 4:7-12; 16-21 THAT, TODAY,
LEAPS-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear..."
PERSONAL "I BELIEVE" STATEMENTS ABOUT I JOHN 4:7-12; 16-21
I BELIEVE loving in this radical way is very difficult for me.
I BELIEVE the One who gives me life knows that.
I BELIEVE that is what makes it worth doing.
I BELIEVE it is worth doing because it makes me
a better person each time I can actually do it.
I BELIEVE even when I try and fail,
something significant shifts within me that makes me
more honest and more aware of the presence of God.
+++
CHRISTMAS DAY
THE GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 1:18-25
Matthew 1:18-25
18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his
mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she
was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19Her husband Joseph, being
a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to
dismiss her quietly. 20But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of
the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not
be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from
the Holy Spirit. 21She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for
he will save his people from their sins.’ 22All this took place to fulfil
what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
23 ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel’,
which means, ‘God is with us.’ 24When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as
the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25but had
no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him
Jesus.
WORDS FROM MATTHEW 1:18-25 THAT, TODAY,
LEAP-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEM TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
birth Mary Joseph Jesus save
A CHALLENGE: WRITE A PRAYER USING ALL THOSE WORDS
Dear God, the experience of Mary and Joseph in the birth of their child,
Jesus, defies ordinary historical analysis. It has stayed with us from
generation to generation. We save the mystery of it---and in some
mysterious and magnificent way, it saves us. Amen.
A PHRASE OR SENTENCE FROM MATTHEW 1:18-25 THAT, TODAY,
LEAPS-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
"'and they shall name him Emmanuel’,
which means, ‘God is with us.’"
PERSONAL "I BELIEVE" STATEMENTS ABOUT MATTHEW 1:18-25
I BELIEVE Joseph loved Mary very much.
I BELIEVE Joseph appreciated the deeper mystery of childbirth and trusted it.
I BELIEVE Mary and Joseph trusted that God was, indeed, with them
and the Early Church told the story in this way to give
the abundance of love and trust embodied in the relationship of
Mary and Joseph the dignity and significance it deserved.
THE EPISTLE READING: II CORINTHIANS 5:16-21
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view;
even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no
longer in that way. 17So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation:
everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18All this
is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us
the ministry of reconciliation; 19that is, in Christ God was reconciling
the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and
entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 20So we are ambassadors for
Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf
of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21For our sake he made him to be sin who
knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
WORDS FROM II CORINTHIANS 5:16-21 THAT, TODAY,
LEAP-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEM TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
new creation reconciling entrusting message
WRITE A PRAYER USING ALL THOSE WORDS
Dear God, how precious a new thing is to me. I handle things that are new,
especially new gifts, with great care. The new is like a special part of
creation. The new sense of perception that has come to me in Jesus of
Nazareth has had a life-defining effect on me. It is a message transformed
into reality, into a person in such a way that I feel your reconciling tug,
making things right between us---seeing me as I am, but receiving me as your
very own. And further, O God, you are entrusting me with that message of
reconciliation, urging me and supporting me as I attempt to share it with
all humanity, not in words, but in the way I live my life. Thank you, O God,
for such trust, through Jesus, who has shown us the way. Amen.
A PHRASE OR SENTENCE FROM II CORINTHIANS 5:16-21 THAT, TODAY,
LEAPS-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
"...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their
trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us."
PERSONAL "I BELIEVE" STATEMENTS ABOUT II CORINTHIANS 5:16-21
I BELIEVE God in Christ was fooling around with our sense of perception.
I BELIEVE the Christ Event gives us a new
"set of lenses," with which to understand Life.
I BELIEVE we are those creatures who are unable not to sin
and God does not hold that against us.
I BELIEVE in Christ, God is reaching out to us,
offering to make things right between us (reconciliation).
I BELIEVE it behooves us to reach out to each other
in the same way in every situation we can.
+++
THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT
December 11, 2011
THE GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 9:16-17
No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak, for the patch
pulls away from the cloak, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new
wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine
is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh
wineskins, and so both are preserved.’
WORDS FROM THAT PASSAGE THAT, TODAY,
LEAP-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEM TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
patch old new worse fresh
A CHALLENGE: WRITE A PRAYER USING ALL THOSE WORDS
Dear God, how I like to patch things up! Too often, like putting on a
band-aid, when surgery is needed. Rationally, I know that sometimes I
can even make things worse by submitting to the temporary, when what can
last would be so much better. Emotionally, the old/new balance is an
ongoing challenge. What is best: The old, what is "tried and true" or
the new, what is fresh and vital? Sometimes I can only find out through
experience. Help me to look beyond simply my own experiences, though.
I do not like repeating the same train wreck over and over. Amen.
A PHRASE OR SENTENCE FROM MATTHEW 9:16-17 THAT, TODAY,
LEAPS-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
"...and so both are preserved."
PERSONAL "I BELIEVE" STATEMENTS ABOUT MATTHEW 9:16-17
I BELIEVE I am attracted to the new, but hold much that is old sacred.
I BELIEVE some things that are old are worth preserving---like me, but I know
that sometimes I must change in order to live the fullest life possible.
I BELIEVE Jesus' talk about change made many people anxious, especially
those who did not want to lose any of their authority and dominance.
I BELIEVE that is still true.
THE EPISTLE READING: GALATIANS 5:1-6; 13-14
1For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not
submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that
if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you.
3Once again I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he
is obliged to obey the entire law. 4You who want to be justified by the law
have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5For
through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.
6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for
anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love.
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use
your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become
slaves to one another. 14For the whole law is summed up in a single
commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
WORDS FROM GLALATIANS 5:1-6; 13-14 THAT, TODAY,
LEAP-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEM TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
freedom faith love self-indulgence neighbor
WRITE A PRAYER USING ALL THOSE WORDS
Dear God, I have lived long enough to know that I can take even the best of
things and use them for my own self-indulgence. I am so important to me
that I can even take the blessed gift of freedom and use it to run all over
my neighbor. I can even take faith and turn it into power and love and
turn it into dependence. And all the while I know that is not what freedom,
faith, love, neighbor, is about. O God, save me from myself! Amen.
A PHRASE OR SENTENCE FROM GALATIANS 5:1-6; 13-14 THAT, TODAY,
LEAPS-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
"For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use
your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence..."
PERSONAL "I BELIEVE" STATEMENTS ABOUT GALATIANS 5:1-6; 13-14
I BELIEVE God's gift of freedom is central
to our understanding of "how Life works."
I BELIEVE no puppets are created by God.
I BELIEVE all, ALL, of us are free; and not just people---natural life,
germs, viruses; freedom is the driving force of the cosmos.
I BELIEVE problems arise when freedoms collide:
your freedom and my freedom, this virus and my body.
I BELIEVE only God is powerful enough to allow for that much freedom.
I BELIEVE it takes a great deal of faith, spelled t-r-u-s-t, for you and
me to live the fullest life possible in the midst of that much freedom.
+++
THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT
December 4, 2011
THE GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 21:33-42
33 ‘Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a
vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built
a watch-tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another
country. 34When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to
the tenants to collect his produce. 35But the tenants seized his
slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.
36Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated
them in the same way. 37Finally he sent his son to them, saying,
“They will respect my son.” 38But when the tenants saw the son, they
said to themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get
his inheritance.” 39So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard,
and killed him. 40Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will
he do to those tenants?’ 41They said to him, ‘He will put those
wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the harvest time.’
42 Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures:
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is amazing in our eyes”?
WORDS FROM THAT PASSAGE THAT, TODAY,
LEAP-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEM TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
landowner tenants harvest son rejected cornerstone
A CHALLENGE: WRITE A PRAYER USING ALL THOSE WORDS
O God, You are my Maker. I live in my Maker's world. You are the
landowner. I am but a tenant. You have sent prophets, saints,
mentors to help me harvest all that so freely grows around me and
within me. You even sent your son, who is the embodiment of all
I will ever need to know about you, the very cornerstone of your
world, and one who could lead me into the fullest life possible,
if I would but follow. Forgive me when I reject all that.
Teach me to follow. Amen.
A PHRASE OR SENTENCE FROM MATTHEW 21:33-42 THAT, TODAY,
LEAPS-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
"Finally, he sent his son to them..."
PERSONAL "I BELIEVE" STATEMENTS ABOUT MATTHEW 21:33-42
I BELIEVE Jesus of Nazareth reveals all I will ever need to know about God.
I BELIEVE I often resist or ignore what that revelation means.
I BELIEVE the One who gives me life keeps after me, continually confronts
me, and maintains the connection no matter what it takes.
I BELIEVE that is true for all humanity, ALL humanity.
+
THE EPISTLE READING: GALATIANS 3:23-4:7
23 Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law
until faith would be revealed. 24Therefore the law was our disciplinarian
until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. 25But now that
faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, 26for in
Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. 27As many of you
as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There
is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no
longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29And if
you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according
to the promise.
4My point is this: heirs, as long as they are minors, are no better than
slaves, though they are the owners of all the property; 2but they remain
under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. 3So with
us; while we were minors, we were enslaved to the elemental spirits of
the world. 4But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under the law, 5in order to redeem those who were
under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. 6And because
you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ 7So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if
a child then also an heir, through God.
WORDS FROM GALATIANS 3:23-4:7 THAT, TODAY,
LEAP-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEM TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
faith clothed one son justified
WRITE A PRAYER USING ALL THOSE WORDS
Dear God, I need eyes of faith, ears of faith, a heart of faith. Indeed,
I need to be clothed in faith, so I can be, as near as possible, one with
your son; whose life, teachings, death, and resurrection have justified my
very being---guided by the ancient wisdom, but not imprisoned by it; learning
from all that is past, but not frozen in the past. In the name of the one
who opens the future for me. Amen.
A PHRASE OR SENTENCE FROM GALATIANS 3:23-4:7 THAT, TODAY,
LEAPS-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION
"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were
under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children."
PERSONAL "I BELIEVE" STATEMENTS ABOUT GALATIANS 3:23-4:7
I BELIEVE experiencing a Life is more vivid and transforming
than experiencing a Law.
I BELIEVE a healthy distinction between Faith and Law is essential to
understanding the meaning of the Christ Event.
I BELIEVE the Law, indeed, all ancient wisdom, are worthy teachers.
I BELIEVE if Law---and ancient wisdom, become my Master,
I will rationalize them to suit my own needs.
I BELIEVE coming to understand myself as a child of God
can only be done through faith.
+++
THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT
November 27, 2011
THE GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 11:2-6
2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing,
he sent word by his disciples 3and said to him,
‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’
4Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see:
5the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are
cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have
good news brought to them. 6And blessed is anyone who takes no
offence at me.’
WORDS FROM THAT PASSAGE THAT, TODAY,
LEAP-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEM TO HOLD MY ATTENTION
prison blind lame lepers deaf dead poor
A CHALLENGE: WRITE A PRAYER USING ALL THOSE WORDS
Dear God, sometimes I find myself in a prison of my own making,
blind and deaf to One who has said throughout the ages, "Follow me,"
the "Jesus Words." In my bondage, I am surrounded by others, equally
lame and like a band of lepers, too poor in spirit to see, to hear,
to rise from the dead and respond to the invitation. Please,
dear God, make me continue to hear the "Jesus Words" until they
become the good news that sets me free. In his name, Amen.
A PHRASE OR SENTENCE FROM MATTHEW 11:2-6 THAT, TODAY,
LEAPS-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO HOLD MY ATTENTION
"Are you the one..?"
PERSONAL "I BELIEVE" STATEMENTS ABOUT MATTHEW 11:2-6
I BELIEVE "back then" and even now there are many
who would like to pass themselves off as the "Messiah."
I BELIEVE it takes courage to raise the question, "Are you the one...?"
I BELIEVE the answer comes in the quality of life lived,
the depth of love shared.
I BELIEVE we could all use more "Messianic Moments."
+
THE EPISTLE READING: PHILIPPIANS 2:1-11
2If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation
from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy,
2make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love,
being in full accord and of one mind. 3Do nothing from selfish
ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better
than yourselves. 4Let each of you look not to your own interests,
but to the interests of others. 5Let the same mind be in you
that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the
form of God,did not regard equality with God as something to be
exploited,7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness. And being found in human form,
8he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father.
WORDS FROM THAT PASSAGE THAT, TODAY,
LEAP-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEM TO HOLD MY ATTENTION
encouragement consolation humility exploited obedient
WRITE A PRAYER USING ALL THOSE WORDS
Too often, O God, I have exploited your love. I have taken for granted
those deep moments of consolation you constantly offer, those nudges of
encouragement. I have not been obedient to the truest thing I know. It
has taken a toll on my sense of humility. Help me start again, tomorrow,
with another clean slate. Amen.
A PHRASE OR SENTENCE FROM PHILIPPIANS 2:1-11 THAT, TODAY,
LEAPS-OUT TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO HOLD MY ATTENTION
"...did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited..."
PERSONAL "I BELIEVE" STATEMENTS ABOUT PHILIPPIANS 2:1-11
I BELIEVE this is a description of the characteristics of
Jesus of Nazareth that made him singularly unique.
I BELIEVE Jesus made a personal choice to claim
his humanity and his sonship.
I BELIEVE we have the same choice to make.
I BELIEVE that if we follow Jesus down this path it
will lead us to the fullest life possible.
+++
For the Common Lectionary Readings for the FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT,
Go To www.lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu and Follow Prompts
THINK: LECTIO DIVINA
FIRST READING ISAIAH 64:1-9
"O that you would tear open the heavens and come down..."
PSALM 80:1-7, 17-19
"...let your face shine, that we may be saved"
SECOND READING I CORINTHIANS 1:3-9
"...so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for
the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ"
GOSPEL MARK 13:24-37
"Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME,
THE LIVABLE PASSAGE, THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
ISAIAH 64:1-9
Personal "I BELIEVE" Statements About That Passage
I BELIEVE that in "tough times," like the People of Faith in Isaiah's time,
I yearn for some Ultimate Truth,
for someone who will lead me to a better day,
for the presence of God.
I BELIEVE that, at the least, I yearn for some kind
of assurance of protection from all that threatens me.
I BELIEVE in "tough times" I am prone to wonder
what I have done wrong that is causing the "tough times."
I BELIEVE it is up to me to find a way to Trust,
to be the clay and know God as a loving potter,
who will not only forgive, but who will bring into life,
someone like Jesus,
who will help me through the "tough times."
+++
For the Common Lectionary Readings for the
LAST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Go To www.lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu and Follow Prompts
THINK: LECTIO DIVINA
FIRST READING EZEKIEL 34:11-16, 20-24
"I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed,
and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak..."
PSALM 100
"It is God who made us, and we belong to God;
we are the People of God, and the sheep of God's pasture."
SECOND READING EPHESIANS 1:15-23
"...so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened,
you may know what is the hope to which God in Christ has called you..."
GOSPEL MATTHEW 22:34-46
"'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these
who are members of my family, you did it to me.'"
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME,
THE LIVABLE PASSAGE, THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
MATTHEW 22:34-46
Personal "I BELIEVE" Statements About That Passage
I BELIEVE human need is our call to service; the NEED is the CALL.
I BELIEVE we meet Jesus again each time we respond to someone in need.
I BELIEVE that was the Early Church's way of defining
the "Second Coming of Christ."
I BELIEVE that is how Christ comes again and again and again.
I BELIEVE it is in that way that "the eyes of my heart become enlightened"
and I know what I must do next.
+++
Readings from my personal New Testament Lectionary,
The Yale Lectionary
Go to www.bible.oremus.org and type in the text. It is easy.
THINK LECTIO DIVINA
THE THIRTEENTH AND LAST SUNDAY IN MISSIONTIDE, 2011
GOSPEL READING MARK 12:13-17
"Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and show deference to no one;
for you do not regard people with partiality,
but teach the way of God in accordance with truth."
EPISTLE READING I CORINTHIANS 6:12, 10:23-24
"All things are lawful for me,
but not all things are beneficial.
All things are lawful for me,
but I will not be dominated by anything."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME
THE LIVABLE PASSAGE, THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
MARK 12:12-17
Personal "I BELIEVE" Statements About That Passage
I BELIEVE that while the Pharisees and Herodians
were trying to make a point by being sarcastic with Jesus,
they also unintentionally emphasized his impartiality.
I BELIEVE Jesus overlooked the sarcasm and illustrated his impartiality.
I BELIEVE I can avoid many relational traps by
responding to the best in a situation and not to the least.
I BELIEVE I must make a distinction about
what I am responsible for regarding myself,
and what I am responsible for as a part of a covenant community.
I BELIEVE I can live the fullest life possible for me by
maintaining a creative balance between my personal
and my social sense of responsibility.
~+++~
For the Common Lectionary Readings for the
19th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST,
Go To www.lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu and Follow Prompts
THINK: LECTIO DIVINA
FIRST READING Deuteronomy 34:1-12
"The LORD said to him,
"This is the land of which I swore to
Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying,
'I will give it to your descendants';
I have let you see it with your eyes,
but you shall not cross over there."
PSALM 90:1-6, 13-17
"Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations."
SECOND READING I Thessalonians 2:1-8
"...even so we speak, not to please men and women,
but to please God who tests our hearts."
GOSPEL READING Matthew 22:34-46
"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?"
Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
This is the greatest and first commandment.
And a second is like it:
'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME,
THE LIVABLE PASSAGE, THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Personal "I BELIEVE" Statements About That Passage
I BELIEVE that Moses felt a deep degree of satisfaction
by what he saw from the top of Pisgah.
I BELIEVE Moses had a vision that was
more than geographic in nature.
I BELIEVE it was very painful for Moses
and the people he led for him not to
experience his vision more fully.
I BELIEVE Moses knew, however, that his ultimate
"dwelling place was with the Lord." (Psalm 90:1)
I BELIEVE that is the vision he passed on,
not only to the Psalmist, but to us.
+++
Readings from my personal New Testament Lectionary,
The Yale Lectionary
Go to www.bible.oremus.org and type in the text. It is easy.
THINK LECTIO DIVINA
THE Ninth SUNDAY IN MISSIONTIDE
19th Sunday After Pentecost
GOSPEL READING Mark 9:33-42
"He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them,
‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’
EPISTLE READING Hebrews 5:11-6:3
"Let us leave behind the elementary teaching about Christ
and go forward to adult understanding."
(J. B. Phillips Translation)
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME
THE LIVABLE PASSAGE, THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
Hebrews 5:11-6:3
Personal "I BELIEVE" Statements About That Passage
I BELIEVE all of us can become subject to a
"dumbing down" of the meaning of the Christian Gospel.
I BELIEVE now is the time for me to move beyond
my elementary understanding of the meaning of the Christ Event.
I BELIEVE I benefit when I reflect on how my thinking
about the Christian Faith has changed, deepened through the years.
I BELIEVE this process of personal growth
is one that will continue throughout my life.
I BELIEVE the spiritual dimension of my life
is an integral part of the process of maturation.
~+++~
For the Common Lectionary Readings for the
THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST,
Go to www.lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu and Follow Prompts
THINK: LECTIO DIVINA
FIRST READING Exodus 14:19-31
"Thus the LORD saved Israel that day..."
Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21
"The LORD is my strength and my might, and he has become my salvation..."
SECOND READING Romans 14:1-12
"If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord;
so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.
GOSPEL: Matthew 18:21-35
"Then Peter came and said to him,
"Lord, if another member of the church sins against me,
how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?"
Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but,
I tell you, seventy-seven times."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME,
THE LIVABLE PASSAGE, THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
Matthew 18:21-35
Personal "I BELIEVE" Statements About That Passage
I BELIEVE salvation means being able to live the fullest life possible to us.
I BELIEVE forgiveness is essential to salvation.
I BELIEVE that even "people of faith" can get it wrong---
receiving forgiveness on the one hand,
but not being able to offer it to others on the other.
I BELIEVE that can happen to nations, too,
when the "nationalist tale" wags the "salvation dog"
and blinds us to our self-centeredness.
I BELIEVE forgiveness is the gift
of a new possiblity for living.
+++
Readings from my personal New Testament Lectionary,
The Yale Lectionary
THE THIRD SUNDAY IN MISSIONTIDE
Go to www.bible.oremus.org and type in the text. It is easy.
THINK LECTIO DIVINA
Gospel Reading Mark 3:13-19
"...Peter...James...John...Andrew...Philip...Bartholomew...Matthew...Thomas...
James son of Alphaeus...Thaddaeus...Simon...Judas..."
Epistle Reading Philippians 3:4b-14
"I leave the past behind and with hands outstretched
to whatever lies ahead I go straight for the goal---
my reward, the honor of being called by God in Christ."(JBP)
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME
THE LIVABLE PASSAGE, THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
Mark 3:13-19
Personal "I BELIEVE" Statements About That Passage
I BELIEVE after careful reflecton, my name, and yours,
is on that list of twelve.
I BELIEVE whatever "call" came to me came from some
metaphorical mountaintop "out there" somewhere or deep within me.
I BELIEVE the message I have to proclaim has to do with "Liberation;"
Liberation from all that limits me--us--in our quest to be fully alive.
I BELIEVE Liberation is what the Jesus Experience is all about,
even including that ultimate limitation, that ultimate demon: Death.
I BELIEVE Liberation and Love are soulmates
and when they reside together within my own soul
I can "cast out" all kinds of demons---and so can you.
~+++~
For the Common Lectionary Readings for the
TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST,
Go To www.lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu and Follow Prompts
THINK: LECTIO DIVINA
FIRST READING Exodus 12:1-14
"This day shall be a day of remembrance for you.
You shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD;
throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance."
PSALM 149
"Let them praise God's name with dancing,
making melody to God with tambourine and lyre."
SECOND READING Romans 13:8-14
"Owe no one anything, except to love one another;
for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law."
GOSPEL: Matthew 18:15-20
"For where two or three are gathered in my name,
I am there among them."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME,
THE LIVABLE PASSAGE, THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
Romans 13:8-14
Personal "I BELIEVE" Statements About That Passage
I BELIEVE love, unconditional, true love, is the greatest
and most significant event one can ever experience.
I BELIEVE that it can be experienced more than once
and that we are capable of expressing it more than once.
I BELIEVE love, unconditional, true love, is more important
than human principles, conventions, and "accepted behavior."
I BELIEVE, however, that it can become very complicated;
so much so that we (I) often back off from it out of fear that
it will bring about consequences over which we (I) have no control.
I BELIEVE that whatever one means by "salvation"
it cannot be experienced without loving and being loved.
+++
Readings from my personal New Testament Lectionary,
The Yale Lectionary
THE SECOND SUNDAY IN MISSIONTIDE
Go to www.bible.oremus.org and type in the text. It is easy.
THINK LECTIO DIVINA
GOSPEL READING Mark 2:23-3:6
"Then Jesus said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for humankind,
and not humankind for the sabbath...'"(NRSV)
or "Then Jesus said, 'The Sabbath was made to serve us;
we weren't made to serve the Sabbath.'" (The Message, EHP)
Epistle Reading II Corinthians 3:2-6
"Not that we are competent of ourselves
to claim anything as coming from us;
our competence is from God,
who has made us competent
to be ministers of a New Covenant,
not in a written code but in the Spirit;
for the written code kills, but the Spirit gives life."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME
THE LIVABLE PASSAGE, THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
II Corinthians 3:2-6
Personal "I BELIEVE" Statements About That Passage
I BELIEVE that the Me that is in my heart is the Me that really matters.
I BELIEVE that the Public Me,
that everyone sees is important,
but the Private Me, that is in my heart,
is the one I take to bed with me every night.
I BELIEVE it is wonderful when the Public Me
and the Private Me are on the same page,
but, in reality, that is not always possible.
I BELIEVE it is not always possible because "written codes,"
that govern the Public Me are inscribed on stone
and do not always reach inside my heart.
I BELIEVE what is in my heart
is what brings me to fullness of life,
is what truly saves me.
~+++~
For the Common Lectionary Readings for the
NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST,
Go To www.lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu and Follow Prompts
THINK: LECTIO DIVINA
FIRST READING Genesis 45:1-15
"Then Joseph said to his brothers, 'Come closer to me.'"
PSALM 133
"How very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live together in unity!"
SECOND READING Romans 11:1-2a,29-32
"The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."
GOSPEL: Matthew 14:22-33
"Just then a Canaanite woman from that region
came out and started shouting..."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME,
THE LIVABLE, REACHABLE PASSAGE
Genesis 45:1-15
Personal "I BELIEVE" Statements About That Passage
I BELIEVE the story of Joseph in Genesis is not unlike your story and mine.
I BELIEVE that often it takes a long time before a wrong is righted,
before enmity can be transformed into friendship, even kinship.
I BELIEVE that self-centeredness not only blurs our perception
of the meaning of life's "little pictures,"
but is more likely to blind us to the
meaning of the "Big Picture."
I BELIEVE the desire for authority and power,
even over members of our own family,
can lead us into evil that is uncontrollable.
I BELIEVE it takes a unique person,
who rises above such evil
in an act of deeply experienced,
unconditional love to bring about lasting change;
one who says with one's whole being,
"Come closer to me."
+++
Readings from my personal New Testament Lectionary,
The Yale Lectionary
THE NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Go to www.bible.oremus.org and type in the text. It is easy.
THINK LECTIO DIVINA
Gospel Reading Luke 9:57-62
"No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back
is fit for the kingdom of God."
Epistle Reading Acts 16:1-10
"Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him;
and he took him and had him circumcised
because of the Jews who were in those places,
for they all knew that Timothy's father was a Greek."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME
THE LIVABLE, PREACHABLE PASSAGE
Acts 16:1-10
Personal "I BELIEVE" Statements About That Passage
I BELIEVE that Paul understood the inclusivism of Jesus of Nazareth
better than any other Early Church leader.
I BELIEVE he also understood how sensitive
an issue this was for the people of his day.
I BELIEVE Paul personalized inclusivism for the Early Church (and for us)
in his selection of Timothy as a protege,
since Timothy's Mother was Jewish
and his Father, Gentile.
I BELIEVE as with the subject of inclusivism,
Paul realized there could be no turning back
from the invitation to Macedonia.
I BELIEVE that all of the above speaks to our own day
and there can be no turning back.
~+++~
For the Common Lectionary Readings for the
EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST,
Go to www.lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu and Follow Prompts
THINK: LECTIO DIVINA
FIRST READING Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
"[Joseph's brothers said to one another,]
'Here comes this dreamer...'"
PSALM 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b
"Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his presence continually."
SECOND READING Romans 10:5-15
"For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
the same Lord is Lord of all
and is generous to all who call on him."
GOSPEL: Matthew 14:22-33
"So Peter got out of the boat,
started walking on the water,
and came toward Jesus.
But when he noticed the strong wind,
he became frightened, and beginning to sink,
he cried out, 'Lord, save me!'"
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME,
THE LIVABLE, PREACHABLE PASSAGE
Matthew 14:22-33
Personal "I BELIEVE" Statements About That Passage
I BELIEVE that, often, amazing acts of transformation
and faithfulness are lost on me.
I BELIEVE that if there were times when Jesus
needed time apart to ponder and pray, so do I.
I BELIEVE, though, that I am more like Peter,
wanting to do things "on my own,"
but crying for all the help I can get
when the wind blows strong.
I BELIEVE when I begin to sink
I need more faith than I, alone, possess
and need the faithfulness
of one who loves me enough to save me.
I BELIEVE those are the moments
when I am more capable of experiencing
amazing acts of transformation and faithfulness.
+++
Readings from my personal New Testament Lectionary,
The Yale Lectionary
THE EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Go to www.bible.oremus.org and type in the text. It is easy.
THINK LECTIO DIVINA
Gospel Reading Luke 7:1-10
"Jesus said, 'I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.'"
Epistle Reading Acts 15:1-11
"So Paul and Barnabas were sent on their way by the church,
and as they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria,
they reported the conversion of the Gentiles,
and brought great joy to all believers."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME
THE LIVABLE, PREACHABLE PASSAGE
Acts 15:1-11
Personal "I BELIEVE" Statements About That Passage
I BELIEVE there has never been a day
in the life of the Christian movement
when everyone was on the same page.
I BELIEVE only we humans are surprised by that,
but the One who gives us life is not;
God is acquainted with the dark side of humanity.
I BELIEVE, in Christ, God is calling us
to be a different kind of human,
a different kind of person.
I BELIEVE that "different kind of person"
is not wrapped-up in any kind of exclusivism;
that "different kind of person"
does not let the world squeeze
him or her into its own mold.
I BELIEVE Jesus of Nazereth is the proto-type
of that "different kind of person,"
who does not say, "Copy me,"
but "Follow me."
~+++~
For the Common Lectionary Readings for the
SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST,
Go To www.lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu and Follow Prompts
THINK: LECTIO DIVINA
FIRST READING Genesis 32:22-31
"...limping because of his hip."
PSALM 17:1-7, 15
"If you try my heart, if you visit me by night, if you test me..."
SECOND READING Romans 9:1-5
"They are Israelites, to them belong the patriarchs,
and from them, according to the flesh,
comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever."
GOSPEL: Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
"And all ate and were filled; and they took up
what was left over of the broken pieces,
twelve baskets full."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME,
THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
Genesis 32:22-31
Personal "I Believe" Statements About That Passage
I Believe that, like Jacob, I often find myself wrestling with
myself, with the Unknown, with God.
I Believe that when that happens my true self experiences
some kind of lasting change; a deepening.
I Believe that at some dimension of depth within me
my rhythm, my pace, my gait, even, reflects this deepening.
I Believe that all of these readings accurately suggest that
the earliest human experiences that we give
the name, "God," began with such encounters.
I Believe those experiences were first preserved for us
by the Israelites, who have enabled us to forever sense
symbolic meaning in the number, "12,"
as indicative of the presence of God.
+++
Readings from my personal New Testament Lectionary,
The Yale Lectionary
Go to www.bible.oremus.org and type in the text. It is easy.
THINK LECTIO DIVINA
THE SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Gospel Reading Luke 12:13-21
"Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed;
for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions."
Epistle Reading Acts 11:25-30
"The disciples determined that according to their ability,
each would send relief to the believers living in Judea."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME
THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
Luke 12:13-21
Personal "I Believe" Statements About That Passage
I Believe I too easily, intellectually, affirm that
"my life does not consist in the abundance of possessions."
I Believe my actions and my checkbook all too often
betray my attempt at such veracity.
I Believe, with St. Benedict, that I should,
"Keep death before one's eyes daily,"
as it helps me clarify my values.
I Believe I should regularly review my "Bucket List"
to sense if it is luring me toward being "rich toward God."
~+++~
For the Common Lectionary Readings for the SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, Go To http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu and Follow Prompts.
THINK: LECTIO DIVINA
FIRST READING Genesis 29:15-28
"When morning came, it was Leah!"
PSALM 105:1-11, 45b
"God is mindful of his covenant forever..."
SECOND READING Romans 8:26-39
"...nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us
from the Love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
GOSPEL: Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
"Have you understood all this?"
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME,
THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
Romans 8:26-39
Personal "I Believe" Statements About That Passage
I Believe that earnest, honest prayer often brings out emotions and insights
from within in me that have been touched by a spirit other than my own.
I Believe that "all things work together;" but to what end
I often need patience to discern.
I Believe, however, that there is an order
to the seeming dis-order of any given moment
and that order belongs to the One who gives us Life.
I Believe that our trust in an
"order that belongs to the One who gives us Life"
enables us to feel like "more than conquerors."
I Believe that whether I realize it in a given moment or not,
nothing can separate me from that order,
which I have come to know as the Love of God.
+++
Readings from my personal New Testament Lectionary,
The Yale Lectionary
Go to www.bible.oremus.org and type in the text. It is easy.
THINK LECTIO DIVINA
THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Gospel Reading Luke 10:25-37
"Go,and do likewise."
Epistle Reading Acts 10:1-35
"I truly understand that God shows no partiality..."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME
THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
Acts 10:1-35
Personal "I Believe" Statements About That Passage
I Believe that one can be as devout as Peter and still have a "blind spot."
It has happened to me.
I Believe that complex relations experienced at a deeply emotional level
can be agonizingly puzzling.
I Believe that truth often breaks through to us metaphorically.
I Believe that only when we are willing to take the risk in faith,
as did Peter, the Jew, who moved toward Cornelius, the Gentile,
can we be led to even deeper dimensions of Love.
~+++~
The Third Sunday After Pentecost
This week is a departure from both Lectionaries.
This is a Proclamation for Independence Day.
THE PROCLAMATION OF FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY
WE PLANT OUR FEET FIRMLY WITHIN THE FREEDOM THAT CHRIST HAS WON FOR US AND WILL NOT LET OURSELVES BE CAUGHT AGAIN IN THE SHACKLES OF SLAVERY.
WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT: THAT ALL ARE CREATED EQUAL; THAT ALL ARE CALLED TO FREEDOM; THAT ALL ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE; THAT LIBERTY DOES NOT PROVIDE AN OPENING FOR SELF-INDULGENCE.
WE ARE ALL ENDOWED WITH CERTAIN INALIENABLE RIGHTS, AMONG WHICH ARE LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
TO SECURE THESE RIGHTS GOVERNMENTS ARE INSTITUTED, DRAWING THEIR JUST POWERS FROM THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED.
HOWEVER, IF WE USE OUR FREEDOM TO BITE AND DEVOUR ONE ANOTHER, LET US TAKE HEED THAT WE ARE NOT CONSUMED BY ONE ANOTHER.
WE HAVE BEEN MADE FREE IN ORDER TO SERVE EACH OTHER IN LOVE.
**
(A blending of Galatians 5 and the Declaration of Independence)
from FOR ALL SEASONS, John Winn, page 87, Preacher’s Aid Society/Rider Green, 2011
~+++~
For the Common Lectionary Readings for
ASCENSION DAY,
Go To www.lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu and Follow Prompts.
THINK: LECTIO DIVINA
FIRST READING Acts 1:1-11
"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?"
PSALM 47
"God has gone up with a shout..."
SECOND READING Ephesians 1:15-23
"...immeasurable greatness..."
GOSPEL: Luke 24:44-53
"Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures..."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME,
THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
John Luke 24:44-53
Personal "I Believe" Statements About That Passage
I Believe that like many people, I sometimes have a selective memory,
remembering only what I choose to remember.
I Believe the real danger of that is that I can easily become "close-minded."
I Believe that there have been significant occasions when some event,
person, or life experience "opened my mind," gave me a "new set of lenses,"
and led me to a deeper place.
I Believe it is important for me to put myself in situations
where that can happen as often as possible.
I Believe that is what happened to the early Disciples,
especially on the day they said Goodbye to Jesus.
+++
Readings from my personal New Testament Lectionary,
The Yale Lectionary
Go to www.bible.oremus.org and type in the text. It is easy.
THINK LECTIO DIVINA
ASCENSION DAY
Gospel Reading John 16:16-22
"So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you."
Epistle Reading Romans 12:1-2
"...be transformed by the renewing of your minds..."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME
THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
Romans 12:1-2
Personal "I Believe" Statements About That Passage
I Believe the good news of the Gospel emotionally transformed the world-view of those early followers.
I Believe that while our contemporary world-view may be more "advanced,"
it still takes eyes of faith to "get" the Gospel message.
I Believe life experiences of a self-defining nature are an important step
toward that kind of transformation.
I Believe it takes courage "not to be conformed to this world,"
but that it is a necessary step toward a New Beginning.
~+++~
For the Common Lectionary Readings for the SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, Go To www.lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu and Follow Prompts
THINK: LECTIO DIVINA
FIRST READING Acts 17:22-31
"...so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him..."
PSALM 66:8-20
"...who has kept us among the living..."
SECOND READING I Peter 3:13-22
"For it is better to suffer for doing good...than to suffer for doing evil."
GOSPEL: John 14:15-21
"Spirit of truth..."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME,
THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
John 14:15-21
Personal "I Believe" Statements About That Passage
I Believe that the key phrase in this passage is "Spirit of truth."
I Believe that often truth is not something we believe in because it can be proven by facts, but for some other reason.
I Believe that "some-other-reason" has to do with Spirit, something we sense, rather than something we know intellectually.
I Believe that truth is lodged "between the lines" of Scripture, rather than in a literal interpretation.
I Believe that Spirit is indispensable to this kind of internalizing.
+++
Readings from my personal New Testament Lectionary,
The Yale Lectionary
Go to www.bible.oremus.org and type in the text. It is easy.
THINK LECTIO DIVINA
THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Gospel Reading John 3:1-17
"How can these things be?"
Epistle Reading Romans 13:7-12
"...owe no one anything, except to love one another..."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME
THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
John 3:1-17
Personal "I Believe" Statements About That Passage
I Believe that from time to time we all ask this question about the Christ Event.
I Believe it is a legitimate question seeking a rational answer.
I Believe that reason may become inarticulate in the face of the Christ Event.
I Believe that faith can take us places reason can never go.
~+++~
For the Common Lectionary Readings for the FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, Go To www.lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu and Follow Prompts
THINK: LECTIO DIVINA
FIRST READING: Acts 7:55-60
"While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed..."
PSALM: 31:1-5, 15-16
"In you, O Lord, I seek refuge..."
SECOND READING: 1 Peter 2:2-10
"...though rejected by mortals..."
GOSPEL: John 14:1-14
"...I go to prepare a place for you..."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME,
THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
John 14:1-14
Personal "I Believe" Statements About That Passage
I Believe, like Stephen, that there is a future beyond my imagination and it is a future I can trust.
I Believe that there is room for everyone in that future, without regard to status, race, religion, or nationality.
I Believe that what makes Jesus one with God is his revelation of the boundless nature of God's love.
I Believe that what we see in Jesus, we can expect in God.
I Believe that each person's "Christ Event" is unique to that particular person and is not limited to any single creed or religion; that while unique, it is also universal.
+++
Readings from my personal New Testament Lectionary,
The Yale Lectionary
Go to www.bible.oremus.org and type in the text. It is easy.
THINK LECTIO DIVINA
THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Gospel Reading: John 6:37-40
"...this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all he has given me..."
Epistle Reading: Romans 6:9-11
"...death no longer has dominion..."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME
THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
John 6:37-40
Personal "I Believe" Statements About That Passage
I Believe that God never turns anyone away.
I Believe that is what Jesus reveals to us.
I Believe that central to any understanding of the will of God is the realization that the One Who Gives Us Life never intends to take it away, but will always find a way to love us back to life.
~+++~
For the Common Lectionary Readings for the FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, Go To lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu and Follow Prompts
THINK: LECTIO DIVINA
FIRST READING: Acts 2:42-47
"...Day by day..."
PSALM: 23
"You prepare a table before me..."
SECOND READING: I Peter 2:19-25
"entrusted himself to the one who judges justly..."
GOSPEL: John 10:1-10
"...that they may have life..."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME,
THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
Acts 2:42-47
Personal "I Believe" Statements About That Passage
I Believe that though this passage comes after Pentecost in Acts, it is still an example of the life together the Disciples and early followers of The Way shared as they pondered the meaning of what they had experienced.
I Believe that applying the Christian Gospel to day by day living is challenging enough that we will always be moved to ponder as they did.
I Believe that listening to each other plays a significant part in our day by day living, as does an openness to the awesome possiblity that there is a new and different way of perceiving things than we have ever known before.
I Believe that sharing with those in need opens us to the deeper meanings of the Gospel.
I Believe, perhaps most importantly, that spending time together makes true community possible, especially as we break bread and share the cup.
+++
Readings from my personal New Testament Lectionary,
The Yale Lectionary
Go to www.bible.oremus.org and type in the text. It is easy.
THINK LECTIO DIVINA
THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Gospel Reading: John 21:15-17
"...feed...tend...feed'"
Epistle Reading: Romans 7:15-25
"...another law at war with the law of my mind..."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME,
THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
Romans 7:15-25
Personal "I Believe" Statements About That Passage
I Believe finding The Way is not always easy.
I Believe, like Peter, I would love to be able to reverse some of my previous actions; to be forgiven for them.
I Believe those "previous actions" are between God and me, alone.
I Believe the decision-making "battle" that goes on within me is a worthwhile one, because it deepens me.
I Believe that in Christ we see a way out of this human dilemma.
~+++~
For the Common Lectionary Readings for the THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER, Go To www.lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu. and Follow Prompts
THINK: LECTIO DIVINA
FIRST READING: Acts 2:14a, 36-41
"...let this be known to you..."
PSALM: 116:1-4, 12-19
"I will lift up the cup of salvation..."
SECOND READING: I Peter 1:17-23
"Through him you have come to trust in God..."
GOSPEL: Luke 24:13-35
"Stay with us..."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME,
THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
Luke 24:13-35
Personal "I Believe" Statements About That Passage
I Believe that the Truth, Jesus, comes to us incognito, not always immediately recognizable.
I Believe that there are times when I actually have difficulty accepting Truths preserved by earlier generations.
I Believe that there are times when the Truth about life exceeds what my fondest hopes had expected.
I Believe that something salvific happens, something mysterious, something that brings about a change within me, whenever I share in the breaking of the Bread and drinking the Cup in the Community of the Faithful.
+++
Readings from my personal New Testament Lectionary,
The Yale Lectionary
Go to www.bible.oremus.org and type in the text. It is easy.
THINK LECTIO DIVINA
THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
Gospel Reading: John 21:1-13
"Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, 'Who are you...?'"
Epistle Reading: Romans 8:1-11
"...the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free..."
+++
THE PASSAGE THAT REACHES OUT AND GRABS ME,
THE PREACHABLE PASSAGE
John 21:1-13
Personal "I Believe" Statements About That Passage
I Believe that God in Christ has taken the initiative in connecting with us.
I Believe that encounter comes in unexpected ways.
I Believe that I do not always recognize it "in the moment."
I Believe revelation comes as we look back on an encounter and realize who and what we have really been dealing with.
I Believe in the mystery that is the Bread and the Fish.
~+++~
John Winn
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