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 – 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 – Christmas III
Links to the Divergences for the other Christmas lections can be found HERE (Christmas I) and HERE (Christmas II). 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 […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Christmas I
Links to the Divergences for the other Christmas lections can be found HERE (Christmas II) and HERE (Christmas III). 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 […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Christmas II
Links to the Divergences for the other Christmas lections can be found HERE (Christmas I) and HERE (Christmas III). 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 […]
Jimmy
Of all the short stories I’ve written (there aren’t really that many) this is my favorite, about Jimmy, the sexton in a large metropolitan parish, and a very special Midnight Mass. Jimmy Jimmy opened his housekeeping closet and withdrew the longest of his step-ladders. He’d need it to reach the Madonna, and tonight, She had […]
The Christmas King
(Twenty years or more ago during the week before Christmas Eve I was pondering what it was about the baby Jesus that led the shepherds to recognize Him for who He was. From those meandering thoughts arose this story that I used as a sermon, I think. Now, twenty-plus years later, the images of walls […]
