Divergence on the Lectionary – Proper 13, Year C
First Reading Hosea 11:1–11 (track one) When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols. Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Proper 12, Year C
First Reading Hosea 1:2–10 (track one) When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD.” So he went and took Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Proper 11, Year C
First Reading Amos 8:1–12 (track one) This is what the Lord GOD showed me: behold, a basket of summer fruit. And he said, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the LORD said to me, “The end has come upon my people Israel; I will never again pass […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Proper 10, Year C
First Reading Amos 7:7–17 (track one) This is what he showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. And the LORD said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “Behold, I […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Proper 9, Year C
First Reading 2 Kings 5:1–14 (track one) Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. Now the Syrians on one […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Proper 8, Year C
First Reading 2 Kings 2:1–2, 6-14 omitted verses in italics (track 1) Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Proper 7, Year C
(All Divergences will include both Tracks One and Two going forward.) First Reading (Track One) 1 Kings 19:1-4, (5-7), 8-15a Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Trinity Sunday, Year C
First Reading Proverbs 8:1–4, 22-31 Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – The Feast of Pentecost, Year C
First Reading Genesis 11:1–9 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year C
First Reading Acts 16:16–34 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year C
When I first realized that I was about to complete three years of Divergences, I decided that the next time through the three years of the Lectionary, I would add a section to each one called “so what?” I’d try to take the often rather academic approach in a lot of the Divergences and bring […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Fifth Sunday of Easter – Year C
First Reading Acts 11:1–18 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” But Peter began and explained it to them […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C
First Reading Acts 9:36–43 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Third Sunday of Easter, Year C
First Reading Acts 9:1–6 (7-20) But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as […]
Divergence on the Lectionary, Second Sunday of Easter, Year C
First Reading Acts 5:27–32 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Easter Sunday, Year C (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 […]
