Month: April 2013

28 April 2013
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Easter 5C (RCL)
Acts 11:1-8
Psalm 148
Revelation 21:1-6
John 13:31-35

Jesus tells his, “As I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.” Wait. What? Just a couple of paragraphs later, he will say, “If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.” Which is it?

Where Jesus is and remains Continue reading “Where are we going?”

21 April 2013
Easter 4C (RCL)
Acts 9:36-43
Psalm 23
Revelation 7:9-17
John 10:22-30

This Sunday (the fourth of Easter) is traditionally called Good Shepherd Sunday. Most lectionaries include a reading from the 10th chapter of John’s Gospel. Years A & B in the RCL have much more “shepherd-y” readings than Year C. All three years include the 23rd Psalm. In this reading from John’s Gospel, the metaphor of shepherd and flock is used as a narrative devise for exclusion: You do not believe because you are not belong to my sheep. Not the warm fuzzy we hope for when we think of the Good Shepherd.

Chapter 10 Continue reading “The king of love and the Boston Marathon”

14 April 2013
Third Sunday of Easter
Easter 3C (RCL)
Acts 9:1-20
Psalm 30
Revelation 5:11-14
John 21:1-19

Again, this week, we have two stories of resurrection appearances in which the recognition of the risen Christ is delayed. It seems to be a theme that when we encounter the risen Christ, we don’t immediately recognize what’s happening.

Paul, on his way to Damascus to persecute those belonging to the way, has an epiphany on the road Continue reading “Recognizing resurrection, pt. 2”

7 April 2013
Second Sunday of Easter
Easter 2C (RCL)
Acts 5:27-32
Psalm 150
Revelation 1:4-8
John 20:19-31

The Emperor Domitian came to the throne of Empire in the year 81. Suetonius records that he was the first emperor to demand being called dominus et deus, Lord and God. Translating that phrase into Greek yields ho kyrios kai ho theos, exactly the words on Thomas’ lips when he has touched the wounds of Christ. Thomas, at the end of John’s Gospel, recognizes Jesus as the true emperor.

The gnostics (if there were such Continue reading “Resurrection wounds”