Divergence on the Lectionary – The Presentation of Our Lord
First Reading Malachi 3:1–4 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Third Sunday after the Epiphany, Year C
First Reading Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 (Omitted verses in italics) And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the […]
Peter Hegseth, Andrew Tate, and the Challenge to Christian Masculinity
When I first woke up in the wee hours of the night with this paper on my heart, it had a more controversial title. It ended with “and the Failure of Christian Masculinity.” But Christian Masculinity hasn’t failed, it just hasn’t yet met the challenges it faces. People were surprised by the hard right turn […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Second Sunday after the Epiphany, Year C
First Reading Isaiah 62:1–5 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch. The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – First Sunday after the Epiphany, Year C
First Reading Isaiah 43:1–7 But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Second Sunday after Christmas, All Years
First Reading Jeremiah 31:7–14 For thus says the LORD: “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘O LORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’ Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of […]
Christmas Week
There are a lot of different sets of lections that may be used this week. We have the three different sets for Christmas and then the lections for the First Sunday after Christmas. I thought it might be helpful to pull all those sets of lessons together (with links to each page) so that you […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year C
First Reading Micah 5:2–5a (The remainder of verse 5 in italics) But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Third Sunday of Advent, Year C
First Reading Zephaniah 3:14–20 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Second Sunday of Advent, Year C
First Reading Baruch 5:1-9 Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem,and put on forever the beauty of the glory from God.Put on the robe of the righteousness that comes from God;put on your head the diadem of the glory of the Everlasting;for God will show your splendor everywhere under heaven.For God […]
Divergence on the Lectionary, 1 Advent, Year C
First Reading Jeremiah 33:14–16 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Proper 29 (Christ the King), Year B (tracks one and two)
First Reading (track one) 2 Samuel 23:1–7 Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel: “The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me; his word […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Proper 28 B (track one)
First Reading 1 Samuel 1:4-20 (vv. 1-3 and 21-28 included in italics) There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, […]
Psalms – Recorded
About twenty years ago I made these recordings of some of the Psalms for someone who was going through a very rough time. I also shared them with my spiritual director, who then gave them to many of her other directees over time. She told me that she thought there was an “anointing” on them, […]
Psalm 139
1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways.4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know […]
Psalm 104
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul!O Lord my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty,2 Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.3 He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, Who makes the clouds His chariot, […]
