At Home with the Lectionary

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for Proper 17, Year A : Exodus 3:1-15 & Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45c ; Jeremiah 15:15-21 & Psalm 26:1-8 ; Romans 12:9-21 ; Matthew 16:21-28 . We discuss Moses' call at the burning bush, Jeremiah's derail into desire for personal vengeance, Paul's beautiful picture of mutual love in Romans 12, and Jesus' teaching as...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for Proper 16, Year A : Exodus 1:8-2:10 & Psalm 124 ; Isaiah 51:1-6 & Psalm 138 ; Romans 12:1-8 ; Matthew 16:13-20 . We discuss the courage of the women of Exodus 1-2 - Shiphrah, Puah, Jochebed, Miriam & Bithia - in the context of political intrigue and genocidal cruelty, David's trust that the Lord would not abandon the w...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for Proper 15, Year A : Genesis 45:1-15 & Psalm 133 ; Isaiah 56:1,6-8 & Psalm 67 ; Romans 11:1-2a,29-32 ; Matthew 15:(10-20)21-28 . We discuss the moment when Joseph tells his brothers who he is, Isaiah's and the Psalmist's description of the all nations being welcomed in the temple of God, Paul's discussion of Genti...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for Proper 14, Year A : Genesis 37:1-4,12-28 & Psalm 105:1-6,16-22,45b ; 1 Kings 19:9-18 & Psalm 85:8-13 ; Romans 10:5-15 ; Matthew 14:22-33 . We discuss the way Joseph's brothers violently betrayed him, Elijah's moment of exhaustion and the Lord's sustaining care, the complexity of Paul's theology in Romans 10,...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for the Transfiguration, Year A : Exodus 34:29-35 ; Psalm 99 ; 2 Peter 1:13-21 ; Luke 9:28-36 . We discuss Moses' return from the mountain and his shining face as he gave the Israelites God's commands, Psalm 99's imagery of kingship, Peter's layered imagery of Transfiguration with tabernacle and light and prophetic mini...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for Proper 12, Year A : Genesis 29:15-28 & Psalm 105:1-11,45b or Psalm 128 ; 1 Kings 3:5-12 & Psalm 119:129-136 ; Romans 8:26-39 ; Matthew 13:31-33,44-52 . We discuss Jacob's marriage to Leah and Rachel (and how Laban's deception and mistreatment of Jacob echos Jacob's deception and mistreatment of his father Isaac a...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for Proper 11, Year A : Genesis 28:10-19a & Psalm 139:1-11, 22-23 ; Isaiah 44:6-8 & Psalm 86:11-17 ; Romans 8:12-25 ; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 . We discuss the Lord's promise to Jacob at Bethel, Isaiah's declaration of the Lord's unparalleled lordship alongside the absurdity of idolatry, Paul's beautiful explorat...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for Proper 10, Year A : Genesis 25:19-34 & Psalm 119:105-112 ; Isaiah 55:10-13 & Psalm 65:1-14 ; Romans 8:1-11 ; Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 . We discuss the birth of Jacob and Esau, the imagery of generous and nourishing creation in Psalm 65 and Isaiah 55, the doctrinal complexity and weight of Romans 8, and the parable of the Sower and...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for Proper 9, Year A : Gen 24:34-38,42-49,58-67 & Ps 45:11-18 or SofS 2:8-13 ; Zech 9:9-12 & Ps 145:8-15 ; Rom 7:15-25a ; Matt 11:16-19, 25-30 . We discuss Rebekah & Isaac. We consider Paul's famous passage regarding conflicted motivations & his own inability to escape sin paired with his doxology of Jesus' rescue...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for Proper 8, Year A in the Lectionary cycle: Genesis 22:1-14 & Psalm 13 ; Jeremiah 28:5-9 & Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18 ; Romans 6:12-23 ; Matthew 10:40-42 . We discuss the sacrifice of Isaac, Jeremiah and Hananiah's dueling prophecies, Paul's imagery of sin and righteousness in Romans 6, and the closing words of Jesus' ins...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for Proper 7, Year A in the Lectionary cycle: Genesis 21:8-21 & Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17 ; Jeremiah 20:7-13 & Psalm 69:8-20 ; Romans 6:1-11 ; Matthew 10:24-39 . We discuss the Lord's saving provision for Hagar & Ishmael in the wilderness, Jeremiah's lament & disconsolation, Paul's doctrinal approach in Romans, an...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for Proper 6, Year A in the Lectionary cycle: Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-7 & Psalm 116:1, 10-17 ; Exodus 19:2-8a & Psalm 100 ; Romans 5:1-8 ; Matthew 9:35-10:23 . We discuss the story of the the messengers coming to Abram and Sarah who laughed, the Lord's message to Israel at Mt. Sinai, Psalms of Thanksgiving, Paul's words on...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for Proper 5, Year A in the Lectionary cycle: Genesis 12:1-9 ; Psalm 33:1-12 ; Hosea 5:15-6:6 ; Psalm 50:7-15 ; Romans 4:13-25 ; Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 . We discuss the story of the blessing of Abram, Hosea's prophetic indictment of destructive religious exploitation, the challenges of preaching doctrinal passages in Romans, and the pr...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for Trinity Sunday , Year A in the Lectionary cycle: Genesis 1:1-2:4a ; Psalm 8 or Canticle 13 (The Song of Three Young Men); 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 ; Matthew 28:16-20 . We reflect on the idea of Trinity Sunday and consider the Great Commission, Paul's benediction to the Corinthians, the Psalm's declaration of the Lord's maj...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for the Day of Pentecost (or Whitsunday) , Year A in the Lectionary cycle: Acts 2:1-21 or Numbers 11:24-30 ; Psalm 104:25-37 ; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 or Acts 2:1-21 ; John 20:19-23 or John 7:37-39 . We tackle all the reading choices for Pentecost! We consider Jesus' breathing on the disciples & giving them His Spirit and the autho...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for the seventh Sunday of Easter , Year A in the Lectionary cycle: Acts 1:6-14 ; Psalm 68:1-10, 33-36 ; 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 ; John 17:1-11 . We discuss Jesus' high priestly prayer, Peter's concluding instructions and benediction, the triumphal imagery in the Psalm, and the events of the ascension. Notes: -- Dwell App -- Praye...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for the sixth Sunday of Easter , Year A in the Lectionary cycle: Acts 17:22-31 ; 1 Peter 3:13-22 ; Psalm 66:7-18 ; John 14:15-21 . We discuss Jesus' teaching that those who love Him will obey Him as well as His promise to send the Holy Spirit. We consider Peter's teaching about how to orient our lives and conduct around Christ su...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for the fifth Sunday of Easter , Year A in the Lectionary cycle: Acts 7:55-60 ;  Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 ; 1 Peter 2:2-10 ; John 14:1-14 . We discuss Jesus' words about preparing a place for His disciples and His unity with the Father, Peter's explanation that we are living stones made into a dwelling place for God, David's song...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for the fourth Sunday of Easter , Year A in the Lectionary cycle: Acts 2:42-47 ; Psalm 23 ; 1 Peter 2:19-25 ; John 10:10-10 . We discuss Jesus' metaphor of the sheepfold and naming Himself as the gate and consider Peter's exhortation to follow Christ's example. We also reflect on how David, a shepherd and a king, drew from s...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for the third Sunday of Easter , Year A in the Lectionary cycle: Acts 2:14a, 36-41 ; Psalm 116:1-3, 10-17 ; 1 Peter 1:17-23 ; Luke 24:13-35 . We discuss Jesus' decision to appear to the pair on the Emmaus road, Peter's invitation to embrace the grace of obedience, the Psalmist's desperate plea for help and joy in the Lord&ap...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for the second Sunday of Easter , Year A in the Lectionary cycle: Acts 2:1-14a, 22-32 ; Psalm 16 ; 1 Peter 1:3-9 ; John 20:19-31 . We discuss how Jesus is identifiable by His wounds and appears to Thomas so that he may believe, Peter's courageous faith and words of exhortation in Acts 2, and the way preaching and the accounts of Jesus...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we consider the readings for Easter Day , Year A in the Lectionary cycle: Acts 10:34-43 or Jeremiah 31:1-6 ; Colossians 3:1-4 or Acts 10:34-43 ; John 20:1-18 or Matthew 28:1-10 ; Psalm 118:102, 14-24. We discuss the way the Lord's faithful, everlasting love is pictured in Jeremiah's earthy imagery of promised restoration and cultivation of the land. We r...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we discuss the readings for Palm Sunday , Year A in the Lectionary cycle: Matthew 21:1-11 ; Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 ; Isaiah 50:4-9a ; Psalm 31:9-16 ; Philippians 2:5-11 . We discuss Jesus' entry into Jerusalem and the response of the crowd as well as the ways His action to clear the temple and heal people aligns with the prophetic nature of the Messiah's s...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we discuss the readings for the fifth Sunday in Lent , Year A in the Lectionary cycle: John 11:1-45 ; Romans 8:6-11 ; Psalm 130 ; Ezekiel 37:1-14 . We discuss the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, grief and bereavement, and Mary's and Martha's response. We consider Paul's words on living by the flesh and living by the Spirit and how lega...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we discuss the readings for the fourth Sunday in Lent Year A in the Lectionary cycle: John 9:1-41 ; Ephesians 5:8-14 ; Psalm 23 ; 1 Samuel 16:1-13 . We discuss Jesus healing of the man born blind, the layered imagery of spiritual seeing and unseeing, and Jesus' declaration that He Himself has come to bring light to the world. We consider Paul's invitatio...