Second Sunday in Lent, February 28, 2021

Please see Using Lection Connection.

Full lections can be read here.

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16)

The Lord guarantees to the childless and elderly Abram that the covenant will result in him having many descendants, including nations and kings. His name becomes Abraham and Sarai becomes Sarah, the mother of the son from whom all these will come.

Psalm (22:23-31)

The Psalmist calls all Israel to join him in glorifying the Lord who has delivered him from affliction. The ends of the earth will do so as well, for he has dominion over the nations and even the dead will praise him. One generation shall tell of his deeds to the next.

Second Reading (Romans 4:13-25)

The promise of God to Abraham, that he would be the father of many nations, was given because of his faith, not his performance of the law. Resting simply on grace, the sure promise includes all who share his faith in the God who also raised up Jesus.

Gospel (Mark 8:31-38)

After Peter’s recognition of his being Messiah, Jesus teaches that he will suffer and be rejected by Jewish leaders but rise again after three days. Peter objects and rebukes him but Jesus affirms that to follow him means to lose one’s life in order to save it.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

• God’s promises depend on him, not upon us
• The mission of God is directed to all of humanity
• Suffering and loss provides opportunity for God’s deliverance
• God brings new life to the dead things in our lives

 

Based on the Alternate Readings

First Reading (Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16)

The Lord guarantees to the childless and elderly Abram that the covenant will result in him having many descendants, including nations and kings. His name becomes Abraham and Sarai becomes Sarah, the mother of the son from whom all these will come.

Psalm (22:23-31)

The Psalmist calls all Israel to join him in glorifying the Lord who has delivered him from affliction. The ends of the earth will do so as well, for he has dominion over the nations and even the dead will praise him. One generation shall tell of his deeds to the next.

Second Reading (Romans 4:13-25)

The promise of God to Abraham, that he would be the father of many nations, was given because of his faith, not his performance of the law. Resting simply on grace, the sure promise includes all who share his faith in the God who also raised up Jesus.

Gospel (Mark 9:2-9)

After identifying himself as the suffering Messiah and puzzling his disciples, Jesus is transfigured, appearing in dazzling white between Moses and Elijah. A voice from heaven affirms him as his beloved Son, to whom all should listen.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

• God’s promises depend on him, not upon us
• The mission of God is directed to all of humanity
• Both the Father and the Son are at the centre of faith
• Praise of God/Jesus arises even from the dead
• The blessing arising from God’s confirmation of his promises

 

 

 

 

First Sunday in Lent, February 21, 2021

Please see Using Lection Connection.

Full lections can be read here.

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (Genesis 9:8-17)

After Noah, his family and the animals safely emerged from the ark, God made a covenant with them that he would not again destroy the earth with a flood. He said he would remember this covenant every time he saw its sign, a rainbow in the clouds.

Psalm (25:1-10)

Knowing that he can trust in the steadfast love and mercy of the Lord, the Psalmist looks to him, asking to be led in his truth and forgiven his youthful sins. The Lord will lead the sinner and the humble into his paths of faithful love as they keep his covenant.

Second Reading (1 Peter 3:18-22)

Christ the righteous one died for sinners to bring them to God. Made alive in the spirit, he then preached to the captive spirits of those lost in Noah’s flood. Those saved in the ark, however, prefigured our baptism. Christ is now gloriously ascended and sovereign over all.

Gospel (Mark 1:9-15)

When John baptizes Jesus a heavenly voice identifies him as God’s Beloved Son. Satan then drives him into the wilderness and tempts him for forty days. After, Jesus begins preaching repentance and belief in the good news of the impending arrival of God’s kingdom.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

• Salvation and judgment: two sides of the same coin
• God’s covenants with his creatures reflect his constancy and love
• Water as an instrument of judgment and/or salvation
• Forty days mark new beginnings in our relationship with God

Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Please see Using Lection Connection

Full lections can be read here.

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (Joel 2:1-2, 12-17)

Through the prophet Joel the Lord warns of an impending “Day of the Lord” and pleads with his people to return to him in sincerity of heart. He calls for a fast that goes beyond mere outward observance and relies instead on God’s own steadfast love and mercy.

Psalm (51:1-17)

The Psalmist, deeply aware of his own sinfulness, realizes that what he truly needs is a new spirit, a new heart. A merciful and loving Lord grants such to those who sincerely and humbly offer him a broken and repentant spirit.

Second Reading (2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10)

Paul pleads with the Corinthians to get right with God through Christ who has taken our sin upon himself and shares with us the righteousness of God. This is the day of salvation for which the apostle has worked, suffered, and, paradoxically, been blessed.

Gospel (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21)

Jesus teaches that practicing our religion in order to impress others reveals only that the things of heaven are not of ultimate importance to us. Hearts truly oriented to God will be content to do these things in secret, knowing that his blessings await in due course.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

• The poverty of superficial religious observance
• God looks upon the heart
• The necessity of a changed heart in order to please God
• Good deeds issue from good souls and not the other way round
• The true fast is of the heart
• A little humility goes a long way

Based on the Alternative First Reading

First Reading (Isaiah 58:1-12)

Isaiah voices the Lord’s displeasure with a people who seek to draw near to him through fasting while not observing his ways. A true fast, one that will ultimately lead to Israel’s restoration, is caring for those in need and bringing injustice to an end.

Psalm (51:1-17)

The Psalmist, deeply aware of his own sinfulness, realizes that what he truly needs is a new spirit, a new heart. A merciful and loving Lord grants such to those who sincerely and humbly offer him a broken and repentant spirit.

Second Reading (2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10)

Paul pleads with the Corinthians to get right with God through Christ who has taken our sin upon himself and shares with us the righteousness of God. This is the day of salvation for which the apostle has worked, suffered, and, paradoxically, been blessed.

Gospel (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21)

Jesus teaches that practicing our religion in order to impress others reveals only that the things of heaven are not of ultimate importance to us. Hearts truly oriented to God will be content to do these things in secret, knowing that his blessings await in due course.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

• The poverty of superficial religious observance
• God looks upon the heart
• The necessity of a changed heart in order to please God
• Good deeds issue from good souls and not the other way round
• The true fast is of the heart
• A little humility goes a long way

Transfiguration Sunday, February 14, 2021

 

Please see Using Lection Connection.

Full lections can be read here.

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (1 Kings 2:1-12)

The young prophet Elisha refuses to let Elijah, his mentor, pass from this world until he is promised a double portion of his spirit. Elijah makes this promise and then is taken into heaven in a whirlwind by a chariot and horses of fire.

Psalm (50:1-6)

The Lord, the righteous judge, shines out of Zion and summons the entire earth before him. He appears in a consuming fire in the midst of a powerful whirlwind, executing justice for his people.

Second Reading (2 Corinthians 4:3-6)

For Paul, the gospel he proclaims is a brilliant light in the darkness, reflecting the glory of God seen in the face of Jesus Christ. Paul points, not to himself, but to Jesus Christ as Lord. Those whose minds are blinded by the god of this age are unable to see this light.

Gospel (Mark 9:2-9)

After identifying himself as the suffering Messiah and thereby disturbing his disciples, Jesus is transfigured, appearing in dazzling white between Moses and Elijah. A voice from heaven affirms him as his beloved Son, to whom all should listen.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

• God is on the side of light and against darkness
• God’s word is good news and glorious light
• Jesus reveals the glory of God in his own being
• In the presence of God there is revelation of truth
• Jesus shares the characteristics of divinity
• Jesus, as the light of the world, outshines all who came before and should be seen above all others

 

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, February 7, 2021

Please see Using Lection Connection.

Full lections can be read here.

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (Isaiah 40:21-31)

In their time of crisis many Israelites are convinced that the Lord does not intervene because he is unaware of their need. Isaiah reminds them that Yahweh is the awesome Creator and Sustainer, not only of the entire universe but also of the faithful individual.

Psalm (147:1-11, 20c)

The Psalmist calls for Israel to praise the Lord because the great Creator and Sustainer of the universe is the same One who lifts up the downtrodden and gathers the outcasts to a restored Jerusalem. He delights not in the powerful but in those who trust in his love.

Second Reading (1 Corinthians 9:16-23)

St. Paul indicates how his primary motivation is to bring as many as possible to salvation through the proclamation of the Gospel. For this reason he has labored without pay and adapted himself to all kinds and conditions of humanity. His reward is simply in the doing.

Gospel (Mark 1:29-39)

Jesus’ early Galilean ministry continues as he heals Peter’s mother-in-law, causing the whole city to bring him the sick and demon-possessed. Ordering the cast-out spirits to keep his identity secret, after a time of prayer he urgently moves on through the region.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

• God meets our needs, in his time and in his way
• God is keenly aware of our need
• We need to trust in God’s love when he does not appear to be present
• When God does bring salvation it comes with urgency
• God has a special concern for the downtrodden and outcast

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, January 31, 2021

Please see Using Lection Connection.

Full lections can be read here.

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (Deuteronomy 18:15-20)
The Lord, given Israel’s reluctance to encounter him directly like they recently did at Sinai, will provide them with prophets like Moses to mediate his word. Those who hear it will be under a serious obligation to obey and woe betide the false prophet.

Psalm (111)
The works of the Lord incite the Psalmist to praise because they reveal his merciful and majestic nature and provide for the material and spiritual well being of his people. True wisdom begins with this realization and leads to unending praise.

Second Reading (1 Corinthians 8:1-13)
St. Paul turns to the issue of eating meat that had been offered to idols. Those mature in faith can see that such meat is merely food but they should not exercise their freedom to eat if it leads weaker Christians to partake in something they still consider wrong.

Gospel (Mark 1:21-28)
Jesus astounds his listeners at Capernaum by teaching with unique authority. When he casts out an unclean spirit from a man after it had recognized him as the One God had sent to destroy his kind, everyone is even more amazed and his fame spreads.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

• God’s (Christ’s) works reveal who he is
• By various means God makes his will known to humanity
• No other spiritual power can stand against the one true God
• The true prophet speaks with God’s authority
• That there is only one God has implications for the way we live

Third Sunday after the Epiphany, January 24, 2021

Please see Using Lection Connection.

Full lections can be read here.

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (Jonah 3:1-5, 10)

The Lord comes to Jonah again, sending him to the great foreign city of Nineveh to warn its inhabitants of impending judgment. He does so and they sincerely repent, causing God to spare them.

Psalm (62:5-12)

The Psalmist puts his hope in God alone, the rock upon whom he rests for salvation and refuge. Other humans are of no help and riches, ill-gotten or not, provide false confidence. Only God has the power to make things right.

Second Reading (1 Corinthians 7:29-31)

Because God’s future is fast arriving, says St. Paul to the Christians at Corinth, they should live accordingly. All their normal relationships, losses, successes, all their buying and selling, should not distract them from the urgency of the times.

Gospel (Mark 1:14-20)

Jesus begins his public ministry with the announcement that the long-awaited time has arrived, issuing a call to repent and believe the good news that the kingdom of God is near. Simon, James and John respond immediately to his invitation to follow him.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

• The call to repentance is an expression of God’s mercy entrusted to his servants
• The call to follow Jesus interrupts our patterns of living
• The urgency of the Gospel resets our priorities
• There is nothing more important than being in relationship with God and in tune with his activity

 

 

Second Sunday after the Epiphany, January 17, 2021

Please see Using Lection Connection.

Full lections can be read here.

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (1 Samuel 3:1-10, [11-20])

Toward the end of the rule of the judges, the word of the Lord unexpectedly comes to the boy Samuel who was serving under Eli the priest. It is a challenging message for the budding prophet as it concerns the Lord’s coming punishment upon Eli and his sons.

Psalm (139:1-6, 13-18)

The Psalmist celebrates the fact that the Lord not only knows him inside out, but also wondrously formed him in his mother’s womb knowing what plans he had for him. Such a God far exceeds the Psalmist’s ability to fully comprehend.

Second Reading (1 Corinthians 6:12-20)

In stressing the freedom of Christians, Paul takes care to point out that not all things are beneficial. He is especially concerned about sexual sins because they violate the body, which is made for the Lord, for his glory, and is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Gospel (John 1:43-51)

After responding to Jesus’ call, Philip tells Nathaniel that he has found the Expected One. After Jesus shows that he had intimate prior knowledge of him he believes and is told that he will come to understand more about the true identity of the Son of Man.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

• The call of God
• God makes himself known (reveals himself)
• We are personally known and cared for by the Lord
• The Lord orders our life for his purposes
• Bodily existence is spiritually significant

The Epiphany, January 6, 2021

Please see Using Lection Connection.

Full lections can be read here.

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (Isaiah 60:1-6)

Isaiah informs Israel that, while things are indeed dark at present, the glory of the Lord will one day shine upon them. Indeed, the nations will be attracted and bring gifts, including gold and frankincense, to a joyfully reunited and thriving nation.

Psalm (72:1-7, 10-14)

The Psalm is a prayer for the king, that he may rule in justice and righteousness, defending the poor and crushing the oppressor. May the kings of the nations bring him tribute and gifts, bowing down and serving him. May he live forever!

Second Reading (Ephesians 3:1-12)

St. Paul speaks of the mystery, now revealed especially in his own apostleship, of how Gentiles are to be included in the people of God. This was always God’s purpose in sending Jesus, to whom anyone at all can come simply by faith.

Gospel (Matthew 2:1-12)

Scholars from the East tell King Herod of another king whose birth was marked by a star. Following it to Bethlehem, they find and worship the child, giving him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Warned in a dream, they avoid a jealous Herod and start home.

 

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

  • The nations come to the King bearing gifts (no nation left behind)
  • The inclusion of the Gentiles in the plan of God
  • The time of fulfillment is breaking upon us with the birth of Jesus
  • The sheer enormity of the Christ-event
  • Gifts for a King?

Baptism of the Lord (First Sunday after Epiphany), January 10, 2021

Please see Using Lection Connection.

Full lections can be read here.

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (Genesis 1:1-5)

In the beginning, God commands light to burst upon the formless earth and the dark waters of the deep where God’s wind was moving. He declares the light good and names it “day” and the darkness “light”, evening and morning forming the first day.

Psalm (29)

The Psalmist calls all heavenly beings to worship Yahweh for his glory and strength, seen in his voice shaking the earth. All in his temple cry “Glory!” to the eternal king who sits above the flood. May he bless his people with strength and peace.

Second Reading (Acts 19:1-7)

When Paul first arrives at Ephesus, he encounters a group of disciples who have been baptized into John’s baptism. He explains that John encouraged faith in Jesus and when they were baptized in Jesus’ name, they received the Holy Spirit.

Gospel (Mark 1:4-11)

John appears in the wilderness baptizing throngs for the forgiveness of sins. He points to another who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. When he baptizes Jesus, the Holy Spirit descends and a heavenly voice declares him “my Son with whom I am well-pleased.”

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

• The Holy Spirit as creator
• Water and the Holy Spirit
• The awesome creative power of God
• God speaks and things happen
• Jesus is the one, and no other