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The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet [Deuteronomy 18:15]. For a number of years, prior to our migration to Blacknall Presbyterian about four years ago, I had the pleasure of being part of an engaging, devoted men’s study group at Trinity Avenue Presbyterian that meets each Wednesday morning. I recall one Wednesday’s discussion of the Israelites’ “golden calf” incident set forth in Exodus 32. I’m sure you recall most of the details. In any event, during the discussion, one of my friends posed an interesting question. He said, Of all the sins named…

And after that, John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, “The time is accomplished, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe the gospel” [Mark 1:14-15, Douay-Rheims Bible]. I’m clearly showing my age here, but in 1970, about the time that Jane and I began our yearlong engagement to be married—at the time, we were both mature 19-years-olds—the most popular movie was Erich Segal’s Love Story, starring Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw. At some point in the movie, Ryan’s character says something in anger to Ali’s character, but then he quickly apologizes. Those in my generation…

  And the lad Samuel was ministering to the LORD in Eli’s presence, and the word of the LORD was rare in those days, vision was not spread about. And it happened on that day that Eli was lying in his place, his eyes had begun to grow bleary, he could not see. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying in the temple of the LORD, in which was the Ark of God [1 Samuel 3:1-3, The Hebrew Bible, tr. by Robert Alter]. Over the past year or so, I have had multiple separate—although parallel—conversations with two close friends who have never met, and…

When God began to create heaven and earth, and the earth then was welter and waste and darkness over the deep and God’s breath hovering over the waters, God said, “Let there be light.” And there was light [Genesis 1:1-3, The Hebrew Bible, tr. by Robert Alter]. For those who follow the liturgical calendar, for the first Sunday after Epiphany, the focus is always on the Baptism of our Lord. This Sunday’s Gospel reading is Mark 1:4-11, the first recorded Gospel’s brief account of John’s baptism of Jesus in the Jordan. At first blush, the pairing of that Gospel text with the assigned OT reading [Genesis 1:1-5, RCL, Year B]…

Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too” [Luke 2:34-35]. In this Sunday’s Gospel lesson, Luke 2:22-40 [First Sunday After Christmas Day, RCL, Year B], Joseph and Mary continue their delicate “dance” with the secular and the sacred. Following secular law, they had traveled to Bethlehem to complete new W-9 forms in order that they could be properly taxed by the secular savior of the world, Caesar…

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it [Matthew 13:45-46]. When I read the parable that we call “The Pearl of Great Price,” I’m often carried back many years to a Christmas when our four children—three of whom now have children of their own—were young. One Saturday in early December, I asked if they’d like to help me search for a gift for their Mom. They squealed with delight. Anna, our oldest, said “The gift has to be really special, because Mom is so special.” We all…

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” … Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her [Luke 1:26-28, 38, a portion of the Gospel reading appointed for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, RCL, Year B]. Gabriel looked at the girl and wondered how this young…

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; …. [Isaiah 61:1]. At first blush, twenty-first century Christians like you and me might wonder why the Revised Common Lectionary Committee chose, with the omission of some text, the first verses of Isaiah 61 as the OT reading for the Third Sunday of Advent [Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, Year B]. To be sure, the text is beautifully poetic. It speaks of bringing “good news” — literally, “the gospel” —…

Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” [Mark 1: 6-8]. Each year, as I approach the Gospel reading for the second week of Advent [Mark 1:1-8, the Second Sunday of Advent, RCL, Year B], which is always devoted to “the Baptizer,” I wonder anew what made John—what made John’s particular kind of baptism—so…

There is no one who calls on your name, or attempts to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity. Yet, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be exceedingly angry, O LORD, and do not remember iniquity forever. Now consider, we are all your people. [Isaiah 64:7-9]. The OT lesson appointed for the First Sunday of Advent, Isaiah 64:1-9 [Revised Common Lectionary, Year B] is located within what many OT scholars call “Third Isaiah” (Chapters 56-66). Many…