Author: appadmin

Fear or faith

28 April 2019
Second Sunday of Easter
Easter 2C (RCL)
Acts 5:27-32
Psalm 150
Revelation 1:4-8
John 20:19-31

What strikes me this time reading the story of Jesus’ appearance to the disciples in John’s Gospel is that they are inside the room with the doors locked for fear. We have just seen Church bombings in Sri Lanka on Easter Day. We live in an age characterized by fear. Everyone is afraid that what they have is slipping (or being taken) away, so we have settled into so many silos. Continue reading “Fear or faith”

In the garden

21 April 2019
Easter Sunday
Easter Principal Service C (RCL)
Isaiah 65:17-25
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
1 Corinthians 15:19-26
John 20:1-18

In the final section of the book of Isaiah, the prophet imagines life in the restored land. This is the vision of justice that was distorted in Isaiah 5, the song of the vineyard. Those who plant vineyards will eat the fruit. Those who build houses will live in them. Not only does this vision reverse the calamity of exile, it also reverses the rapacity of profit seeking landlords. Indeed, a vision for our time. Continue reading “In the garden”

Talkin’ about the passion

14 April 2019
Palm/Passion Sunday
Year C (RCL)
Luke 19:28-40
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11
Luke 22:14 – 23:56

None of the Gospel writers, it seems to me, are very interested in developing a doctrine of atonement, in which Jesus’ death in some way deals with the problem of human sin. Paul is certainly interested in developing a theology of how Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection establishes a new righteousness, but the Gospel writers wrap any such attempt in a narrative. Continue reading “Talkin’ about the passion”

A new thing

7 April 2019
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Lent 5C (RCL)
Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalm 126
Philippians 3:4b-14
John 12:1-8

In one way or another, all of these readings have to do with something new emerging. The Isaiah passage ironically recalls God opening a way through the Red Sea, and then calls on the people not to remember this anymore, because something new is about to happen. This time God will open a way through the desert, and water the dry places. Psalm 126 also seems to refer to the return from Exile. Continue reading “A new thing”

Lost and found

31 March 2019
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Lent 4C (RCL)
Joshua 5:9-12
Psalm 32
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

The parable of the Lost Son comes as the third of three parables concerning things lost and found. The first is the one sheep out of 99, and the second is the one coin out of ten. Now, we have one of two. Stories of younger sons and elder sons abound in the scriptures of Israel. Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob, Joseph and his brothers – always the younger son comes out on top. Perhaps Israel experienced itself as the unlikely, lucky younger son. Continue reading “Lost and found”

Unless you repent

24 March 2019
Third Sunday in Lent
Lent 3C (RCL)
Exodus 3:1-15
Psalm 63:1-8
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Luke 13:1-9

We have an odd collection of readings this Sunday. In the Revised Common Lectionary, the Old Testament lessons are not chosen specifically to complement the Gospel: instead, we read “in course” through some of the great moments in salvation history. The revelation of the divine name is one of those moments. Continue reading “Unless you repent”

Tell that fox

17 March 2019
Second Sunday in Lent
Lent 2C (RCL)
Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
Psalm 27
Philippians3:17 – 41
Luke 13:31-35

The passage from Genesis records an unusual covenantal ritual – nothing of the kind is recorded elsewhere in scripture (except an allusion in Jeremiah 34:18-20). This is clearly not a sacrifice — some of the animals are female, and three years old, and they are not eaten or burned. The allusion in Jeremiah suggests that the point of the ritual was to call God to witness an agreement and render anyone who broke the agreement like the cut animals. Continue reading “Tell that fox”

Save us from trial

10 March 2019
First Sunday in Lent
Lent 1C (RCL)
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16
Romans 10:8b-13
Luke 4:1-13

I have read a number of commentaries in which the temptations of Jesus are compared to the temptations of Israel in the wilderness, implying that where Israel failed, Jesus resisted the temptation. Jesus recapitulates Israel’s history. Early christian authors (like Paul, for instance) certainly used the device of recapitulation to tell the story of Jesus (sea crossings and wilderness feedings recapitulate the Moses story). Forty days in the wilderness recapitulates forty years of wilderness wandering. Continue reading “Save us from trial”

Expect glory

3 March 2019
Last Sunday after Epiphany
Last Epiphany C (RCL)
Exodus 34:29-35
Psalm 99
2 Corinthians 3:12 – 4:2
Luke 9:28-43a

The passage we read from 2 Corinthians has unfortunately often been used as a proof-text for supersessionism – that Christianity has superseded Judaism. Of course, Paul was a Jew, and was critiquing his own religion, so I suggest that we should use this passage as a critique of Christianity. How often do we read our scriptures with a veil over our eyes? Paul’s great criticism was that we had used the law to draw distinction, rather than to create a righteous community. It seems like we do that with our Christian texts as well. Whom can we exclude is often the question we ask. Continue reading “Expect glory”

Stumbling blocks

7 October 2018
Twentieth Sunday after Epiphany
Proper 22B (RCL)
Job 1:1; 2:1-10
Psalm 26
Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12
Mark 10:2-16

This will be a short entry, much going on this week.

The passage from Mark’s Gospel follows on from the reading about setting stumbling blocks before these little ones. Our reading today ends with Jesus embracing another child, which bookends the previous episode, in which the disciples had been arguing about who was the greatest, and Jesus took a child in his arms. Continue reading “Stumbling blocks”