Proper 17B (RCL) – A Preacher’s Ponderings

Delight and disgust

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost; 29 August 2021; Proper 17B (RCL); Song of Solomon 2:8-13; Psalm 45:1-2, 7-10; James 1:17-27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23.

We’re following Track 1, the semi-continuous track. Today’s Old Testament reading takes a big leap from last Sunday’s — hardly semi-continuous. I suspect the lectionary places it here because of its purported authorship by King Solomon — we’ve just heard of his dedication of the Temple. But, we take the jump from historical account to love poetry. Whew!

Losing my religion

16 September 2018
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 19B (RCL)
Proverbs 1:20-33
Psalm 19
James 3:1-12
Mark 8:27-38

I am writing this as Hurricane Florence is barrelling toward the Carolina coastlines. It is not particularly comforting to hear Wisdom say, “Because you ignored my reproof, I will laugh at your calamity.” As Wisdom literature, Proverbs is likely addressed to young men making their way in the court; but it like all biblical literature, it is probably also address to Israel as a collective. Certainly, if a young man ignores the advise of Wisdom, we expect calamity. But what does it mean for a nation to ignore the counsel of Wisdom? What is that counsel? Continue reading “Losing my religion”

The law of liberty

2 September 2018
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 17B (RCL)
Song of Solomon2:8-13
Psalm 45:1-2, 7-10
James 1:17-27
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

We’ve now finished our course of historical reading in the semi-continuous OT track, having come as far as Solomon’s consecration of the Jerusalem Temple. For the rest of the year, we will read passages from wisdom literature. We start with a passage from the Song of Songs, or the Song of Solomon. I suppose we start there because of the connection with Solomon. But, if Solomon wrote this, he wrote most of it from the perspective of the woman. Continue reading “The law of liberty”