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Lectionary

A collection of 30 issues

The Scribes and Widows You Don't See

Imagine a group of people: a crowd at a football game, the downtown of a city, a congregation gathered for worship. Now pick out the scribes and the widows. And here’s a hint: not all the widows are women, and not all the scribes are men. :: Widows are all

The Last Word

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long, Steals on the ear the distant triumph song ... Getting the last word. We all know people who have to have the last word in an argument. It doesn’t matter what it costs — they have to be right. And sometimes, it

God Is Not An Equation

Like 1.5 billion other people, I am on Facebook. I currently have, uhm ... { checking } ... 791 friends there. And many of them are Christian. I love my Christian friends, just like all my friends, but sometimes they post things that drive me crazy. (As does everyone on Facebook, of course,

Mean for Jesus

(A Lection Reflection on Mark 7) Some years ago, the denomination I was serving in was in the midst of a wrenching fight. One group was trying to take control of the denomination, and they were framing their tactics as "returning to the truth" -- which meant, of course,

You Can’t Have It All

(A Lection Reflection on Joshua 24 and John 6) Choices. We all face them. This sandwich or that one? This house or that apartment? This job or the other? Get married or stay single? And even though we know that almost every choice opens one door and closes another, we

What If Gandalf Doesn't Show?

(a Lection Reflection on Psalm 130 and Mark 5:21-43) There is a scene in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers where Gandalf is leaving Aragorn to go get help. As he mounts up and prepares to leave, he says "Look to my coming, at first light,

Is Jesus Calling Us To Be Superheroes?

(a Lection Reflection on Mark 4:35-41) I have a guilty habit to share: I enjoy reading adventure novels. Jason Bourne, Dirk Pitt, Jack Ryan — I buy them in paperback, and usually read them in a couple of days. They’re brain candy, empty calories, but I still get

Of David, twigs, and seeds -- a lesson about the Kingdom of God

(A Lection Reflection on 1 Samuel 15:34 - 16:13, Ezekiel 17:22-24, and Mark 4:26-34) I love the Onion. So, when they put out a faux compilation of their work across the 20th century entitled “Our Dumb Century,” I had to have a copy. On the

Are Christians Crazy? (Mark 3)

(a Lection Reflection on Mark 3 and 2 Corinthians 4:13 - 5:1) Yes, that's a provocative title -- as in, for most people it provokes an immediate response. Based on recent incidents reported in the media, the response "hell yes" certainly might be appropriate. Nary a

The Process of Being Born-ed (John 3)

(a Lection Reflection on John 3) My wife and I have two grown sons. We have experienced many special, wondrous moments with each of them. I have to say, though, that one of the most amazing moments I have ever experienced was the moment when each of them was born.