Divergence on the Lectionary – Feast of the Ascension, All Years
First Reading Acts 1:1–11 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B
First Reading Acts 10:44–48 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year B
First Reading Acts 8:26–40 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, […]
Chapter Four – Things That Help and Things That Hinder
Faith It is beyond question that Faith plays a role in bringing healing to a person, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. Jesus is very clear that having faith for healing brought it about for some people. While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year B
First Reading Acts 4:5–12 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name […]
Chapter Two – “Why do we do healing?”
I think that the first question I need to address is, “Why would we want to pray for miraculous healing?” After all, we are modern people and we have excellent physicians. It’s true that many of the things we will wind up praying for will be things that a doctor could cure, so why pray? […]
Chapter One – What Happened to Healing?
I’m still astonished that there is so little emphasis on healing ministry in most of the churches that I know or have been involved in. Apart from the Passion Narrative itself or Jesus’ longer discourses like the Sermon on the Mount or the High Priestly Prayer, it’s difficult to read more than a few pages […]
Introduction
Many years ago, when I was working as an ophthalmic assistant, one of my co-workers called me at home. She knew I was also a volunteer prison chaplain, and she wanted me to pray for her daughter. Her daughter and husband had been in a bad auto accident, and her daughter was in the ICU […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Third Sunday of Easter, Year B
First Reading Acts 3:12–19 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Second Sunday of Easter, Year B
First Reading Acts 4:32–35 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Easter Sunday, Year B (Principal Service)
First Reading Acts 10:34–43 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Passion Sunday, Year B
Because the Passion Narrative for this Sunday is so long, I’m putting a link here so that you can click straight to the Comments and Questions for Discussion if you’d rather do that than scroll and scroll (and scroll). (Click Here for Comments and Questions.) First Reading Isaiah 50:4–9a The Lord GOD has given me […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Fifth Sunday in Lent, Year B
First Reading Jeremiah 31:31–34 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Fourth Sunday in Lent, Year B
First Reading Numbers 21:4–9 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – The Third Sunday In Lent, Year B
First Reading Exodus 20:1–17 And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that […]
The Stations of the Cross (online)
Introduction In the Passion, Jesus laid bare the way that God’s children have used the death of the innocent to distance themselves from their own dependence on violence. By removing the scales from our eyes, Jesus has broken forever the power of violence in our lives. We will never again be able to convince ourselves […]