Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, August 2, 2020

Please see How to Use Lection Connection.

Full lections can be read here.

 

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (Genesis 32:22-31)

Jacob wrestles with a stranger and prevails after demanding a blessing from his opponent. The latter changes Jacob’s name to Israel, or “he who strives with God and prevails”. Jacob realizes he has been face to face with God and lived to tell about it.

Psalm (17:1-7, 15)

The Psalmist, a faithful Israelite, cries to the Lord for help. As one who has avoided wickedness and violence he appeals to the steadfast love of the Lord. Even in his current circumstances he is confident that he will see the face of God.

Second Reading (Romans 9:1-5)

St. Paul yearns for his own Jewish people to come to faith in Christ and is deeply grief-stricken at their resistance to the Gospel. They are God’s chosen people and the covenant promises rightly belong to them, including Messiah, one of their own.

Gospel (Matthew 14:13-21)

After the death of John the Baptist Jesus desires to be alone, but a huge crowd follows him into the wilderness. Full of compassion, he heals their sick and feeds them all by multiplying a little food into so much that that twelve basketfuls are left over.

 

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

  • God provides a feast
  • The love and compassion of God
  • God hears and answers prayer with more than meets our need
  • What it means to be an Israelite
  • The various ways of receiving blessings from God/Jesus

Scripture Sentence (BAS, Canada)

We do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Matthew 4.4

Collect of the Day (BAS, Canada)

Almighty God,
your Son Jesus Christ fed the hungry
with the bread of his life
and the word of his kingdom.
Renew your people with your heavenly grace,
and in all our weakness
sustain us by your true and living bread,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. AMEN

 

Based on the Alternate Readings

First Reading (Isaiah 55:1-5)

Through Isaiah the Lord is calling his people Israel to a great feast made freely available to all, promising an everlasting covenant because of his faithful love for David. The Lord will so bless them that other nations will come as well.

Psalm (145:8-9, 14-21)

The Psalmist extolls the Lord as the universal God who sustains all of creation out of his love and compassion. He upholds the fallen, answering those who call upon him in truth and bringing justice to the wicked. All humanity will come to acknowledge him as Lord.

Second Reading (Romans 9:1-5)

St. Paul yearns for his own Jewish people to come to faith in Christ and is deeply grief-stricken at their resistance to the Gospel. They are God’s chosen people and the covenant promises rightly belong to them, including Messiah, one of their own.

Gospel (Matthew 14:13-21)

After the death of John the Baptist Jesus desires to be alone, but a huge crowd follows him into the wilderness. Full of compassion, he heals their sick and feeds them all by multiplying a little food into so much that that twelve basketfuls are left over.

 

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

  • God provides a feast
  • The love and compassion of God
  • God hears and answers prayer with more than meets our need
  • All nations will come to the Lord
  • What it means to be an Israelite

Scripture Sentence (BAS, Canada)

We do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.Matthew 4.4

Collect of the Day (BAS, Canada)

Almighty God,
your Son Jesus Christ fed the hungry
with the bread of his life
and the word of his kingdom.
Renew your people with your heavenly grace,
and in all our weakness
sustain us by your true and living bread,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. AMEN

 

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, July 26, 2020

Please see How to Use Lection Connection.

Full lections can be read here.

 

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (Genesis 29:15-28)

Jacob agrees to work seven years for his uncle Laban in order to marry his beautiful daughter Rachel. He loves Rachel, but Laban tricks him into marrying his older daughter Leah, and then agrees to let him have Rachel after seven more years of servitude.

Psalm (105:1-11, 45b)

The Psalmist exhorts Israel to live continuously in the presence of the Lord, giving thanks and praise among the nations, while seeking his strength. Remembering what he has done in the past they are to be ever mindful of his eternal covenant with the Patriarchs.

OR

Alternative Psalm for these Readings (128)

The Psalmist promises a productive life, especially in terms of a flourishing family, for those who walk with the Lord. This is expressed as the provision of many children and a life long enough to see them have children of their own.

Second Reading (Romans 8:26-39)

Paul teaches that the Holy Spirit is active even in weak, inarticulate prayer. He points out that with God on the side of those he calls, things will work out for good in spite of current afflictions. Not even death can separate us from his great love in Christ Jesus.

Gospel (Matthew 13:31-33; 44-52)

Jesus outlines aspects of the Kingdom of God in simple parables: like a seed, it will begin tiny and end up huge; like yeast, it will permeate everything; like found treasure, it is worth our all; like a net, it will ensnare many, but the evil will be cast out at the end.

 

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

  • The infinitely valuable blessings of living with and for the Lord are beyond cost
  • The value of family, including the family of God (Alternative Psalm)
  • The importance of prayer and praise (Psalm as Set)
  • The unfailing purposes of God
  • The difference between the end and the beginning of God’s work

Scripture Sentence (BAS, Canada)

Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. John 6.68

Collect of the Day (BAS, Canada)

O God,
the protector of all who trust in you,
without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy, increase and multiply upon us your mercy,
that with you as our ruler and guide,
we may so pass through things temporal,
that we lose not the things eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. AMEN

 

Based on the Alternate Readings

First Reading (I Kings 3:5-12)

When the Lord appears to Solomon, son of David, he wisely asks for understanding in order to govern Israel. Pleased, the Lord grants him his request and also blesses him with long life, victory over his enemies and a ranking over all other rulers in history.

Psalm (119:129-136)

The Psalmist extols the wonders of God’s laws that give understanding to the simple. Expressions of his grace, they keep us on the path towards the Lord and away from evil. The Psalmist begs to know and follow them, and he mourns when they are broken.

Second Reading (Romans 8:26-39)

Paul teaches that the Holy Spirit is active even in weak, inarticulate prayer. He points out that with God on the side of those he calls, things will work out for good in spite of current afflictions. Not even death can separate us from his great love in Christ Jesus.

Gospel (Matthew 13:31-33; 44-52)

Jesus outlines aspects of the Kingdom of God in simple parables: like a seed, it will begin tiny and end up huge; like yeast, it will permeate everything; like found treasure, it is worth our all; like a net, it will ensnare many, but the evil will be cast out at the end.

 

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

  • The infinitely valuable blessings of living with and for the Lord are beyond cost
  • The unfailing purposes of God
  • The difference between the end and the beginning of God’s work
  • The importance of being led by the Lord/the Spirit/the Word
  • God’s wisdom guides the simple and the inexperienced

Scripture Sentence (BAS, Canada)

Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. John 6.68

Collect of the Day (BAS, Canada)

O God,
the protector of all who trust in you,
without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy, increase and multiply upon us your mercy,
that with you as our ruler and guide,
we may so pass through things temporal,
that we lose not the things eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. AMEN

 

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, July 19, 2020

Please see How to Use Lection Connection.

Full lections can be read here.

 

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (Genesis 28:10-19a)

Jacob dreams that where he is sleeping there is a ladder with angels moving between earth and heaven. The Lord gives him the same promise he made to Abraham and vows not to leave him until it is fulfilled. Awestruck, Jacob calls the place the “house of God”.

Psalm (139:1-12, 23-24)

The Psalmist, awestruck that the Lord knows him intimately wherever he might be, invites divine examination to expose his every wickedness and lead him in the everlasting way under his divine protection.

Second Reading (Romans 8:12-25)

Paul writes that living by the flesh brings death while living by the Spirit brings life, including adoption as God’s children to be heirs of his new creation. Present suffering cannot compare to this coming glory for those bearing the first fruits of the Spirit.

Gospel (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)

Jesus tells about a farmer who sowed seed on his land only to discover that an enemy had sowed weeds. To preserve the grain, he put off weeding until harvest. Similarly, Jesus says, both evil and righteous folk will share the kingdom until judgment at the end.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

  • The way of the Lord versus the way of the world
  • A new world is coming for the faithful
  • Awe at the presence of God
  • Justice will prevail in spite of current circumstances
  • The promises of God are sure
  • The inheritors of God’s promises are under his care and already enjoying his presence

Scripture Sentence (BAS, Canada)

My word shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55.11

Collect of the Day (BAS, Canada)

Almighty God,
your Son has opened for us
a new and living way into your presence.
Give us pure hearts and constant wills
to worship you in spirit and in truth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. AMEN

 

Based on the Alternate Readings

First Reading (Isaiah 44:6-8)

In asserting his uniqueness as the one and only God, the Lord challenges other so-called gods to prove themselves by predicting the future as he has done. Israel, witnessing this truth repeatedly, has every reason to trust in him and to not fear current circumstances.

Psalm (86:11-17)

The Psalmist pleads with the Lord for an undivided heart, serving and glorifying him alone. Having been delivered before through the steadfast love of the Lord, he asks for deliverance from the ungodly who now threaten his very life.

Second Reading (Romans 8:12-25)

Paul writes that living by the flesh brings death while living by the Spirit brings life, including adoption as God’s children to be heirs of his new creation. Present suffering cannot compare to this coming glory for those bearing the first fruits of the Spirit.

Gospel (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)

Jesus tells about a farmer who sowed seed on his land only to discover that an enemy had sowed weeds. To preserve the grain, he put off weeding until harvest. Similarly, Jesus says, both evil and righteous folk will share the kingdom until judgment at the end.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

  • The way of the Lord versus the way of the world
  • A new world is coming for the faithful
  • Justice will prevail in spite of current circumstances
  • The Lord our God is a jealous God
  • We can trust in the Lord on the basis of his historical acts of salvation

Scripture Sentence (BAS, Canada)

My word shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55.11

Collect of the Day (BAS, Canada)

Almighty God,
your Son has opened for us
a new and living way into your presence.
Give us pure hearts and constant wills
to worship you in spirit and in truth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. AMEN

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, July 12, 2020

Please see How to Use Lection Connection.

Full lections can be read here.

 

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (Genesis 25:19-34)

Isaac’s wife Rebekah proves to be barren but, after he prays, she soon conceives twin boys. The Lord informs her that, surprisingly, the older will come to serve the younger. Years later, the elder, Esau, offhandedly sells his birthright to his twin, Jacob.

Psalm (Psalm 119:105-112)

The Psalmist, although severely afflicted and under threat, declares his confidence in the word of the Lord, his heritage forever. It will light his way and provide him with life itself.

Second Reading (Romans 8:1-11)

Paul contrasts the way of Law with the way of the Spirit of Christ. Jesus has fulfilled the demands of the Law and it has no more power over those who belong to him. The Law leads to death because of the flesh, while the Spirit, given to each Christian, leads to life.

Gospel (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23)

Jesus uses the parable of the sower to demonstrate the extreme fruitfulness of the word of the kingdom for those who understand. Those who do not, or who wilt under persecution, or allow the cares of the world and its wealth to distract them, will wither.

 

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

  • Following the Lord involves a struggle
  • The Word and Ways of God need to be embraced with care and followed with diligence
  • The Word of the Lord endures forever
  • The Word of the Lord will accomplish what it sets out to do, one way or the other

SCRIPTURE SENTENCE (BAS, Canada)

The word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. Deuteronomy 30.14

COLLECT OF THE DAY (BAS, Canada)

Almighty God,
you have made us for yourself,
and our hearts are restless
until they find their rest in you.
May we find peace in your service,
and in the world to come, see you face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  AMEN

 

Based on the Alternate Readings

First Reading (Isaiah 55:10-13)

Isaiah affirms that the word of the Lord is as fruitful as rain and snow, always accomplishing its purpose. He tells Israel that it will come back from exile in great joy and peace. The event will be an everlasting memorial, with creation itself transformed.

Psalm (65:[1-8], 9-13)

The Psalmist celebrates God’s active care in answering prayer, forgiving sins, living among his people and delivering them. As creator and sustainer, he is the hope of all humanity, which benefits from his watering of the earth to produce fruit in abundance.

Second Reading (Romans 8:1-11)

Paul contrasts the way of Law with the way of the Spirit of Christ. Jesus has fulfilled the demands of the Law and it has no more power over those who belong to him. The Law leads to death because of the flesh, while the Spirit, given to each Christian, leads to life.

Gospel (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23)

Jesus uses the parable of the sower to demonstrate the extreme fruitfulness of the word of the kingdom for those who understand. Those who do not, or who wilt under persecution, or allow the cares of the world and its wealth to distract them, will wither.

 

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

  • Following the Lord involves a struggle
  • The Word and Ways of God need to be embraced with care and followed with diligence
  • The Word of the Lord endures forever
  • The Word of the Lord will accomplish what it sets out to do, one way or the other
  • God reaches out to all, but all do not reach out to God

SCRIPTURE SENTENCE (BAS, Canada)

The word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. Deuteronomy 30.14

COLLECT OF THE DAY (BAS, Canada)

Almighty God,
you have made us for yourself,
and our hearts are restless
until they find their rest in you.
May we find peace in your service,
and in the world to come, see you face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  AMEN