Divergence on the Lectionary – The First Sunday after the Epiphany

The Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, Year A First Reading Isaiah 42:1–9 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it […]
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 […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – First Sunday after Christmas, All Years

First Reading Isaiah 61:10-62:3 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – The Feast of the Nativity III

First Reading Isaiah 52:7–10 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – The Feast of the Nativity II

First Reading Isaiah 62:6–12 On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the LORD in remembrance, take no rest, and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth. The LORD has […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – The Feast of the Nativity I

First Reading Isaiah 9:2–7 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – The Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A

First Reading Isaiah 7:10–16 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Third Sunday of Advent, Year A

First Reading Isaiah 35:1-10 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – The Second Sunday of Advent, Year A

First Reading Isaiah 11:1–10 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – The First Sunday of Advent, Year A

First Reading Isaiah 2:1–5 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Proper 29/Christ the King, Year C

First Reading Jeremiah 23:1–6 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Proper 28, Year C

First Reading Isaiah 65:17–25 (track one) “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Proper 27, Year C

First Reading Haggai 1:15b-2:9 (track one) In the second year of Darius the king. In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet: “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – All Saints, Year C

First Reading Daniel 7:1–3, 15-18 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. Daniel declared, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Proper 25, Year C (track one)

First Reading Joel 2:23–32 (track one) “Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before. “The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Proper 24, Year C

First Reading Jeremiah 31:27–34 (track one) “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. And it shall come to pass that as I have watched over them to pluck up and break […]