Posted on

Second Sunday after the Epiphany, January 20, 2019, Year C

Please see How to Use Lection Connection

Full lections can be read here.

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (Isaiah 62:1-5)

Isaiah proclaims that when Israel is vindicated and the nations see her glory, the Lord shall give her a new name. She will be no longer known as forsaken but as the delight of the Lord. Indeed, he will be joined to her in marriage, rejoicing as a groom would celebrate over his new bride.

Psalm (36:5-10)

The Psalmist declares the Lord unmatched in his lovingkindness and faithfulness, profound in righteousness and judgment. In his house is an abundant feast and all peoples may take shelter in him. Continue in your favour toward your people, O Lord, source of our life and light!

Second Reading (1 Corinthians 12:1-11)

Paul informs the Corinthians that the diversity of spiritual gifts in their midst is actually a sign of unity since they are given by the same Holy Spirit. In fact, the Holy Trinity is behind all truly Christian activity. It is the work of the Spirit to allot a gift to each believer for the common good.

Gospel (John 2:1-11)

Early in his ministry Jesus goes to a wedding in Cana where the wine runs out early. He changes a considerable amount of water into wine. The steward is impressed that its excellent quality was saved to serve last. By this first sign Jesus reveals his glory and his disciples believe in him.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

  • God as married joyfully to his people
  • When people encounter the glory of Almighty God they are drawn to believe in him
  • The wedding feast as a metaphor for the Kingdom of God
  • It is the desire of God for his people ultimately to dwell in an abundance of both material and spiritual gifts

 

 

Posted on

Baptism of the Lord, January 13, 2019, Year C

Please see How to Use Lection Connection 

Full lections can be read here.

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (Isaiah 43:1-7)

After informing Israel that her exile was the result of disobedience, Isaiah now reassures her she will pass through these menacing waters because the Lord has created and redeemed her. Giving the nations in exchange, he will gather home her offspring, all those called by his name.

Psalm (29)

The Psalmist calls all heavenly beings to worship Yahweh for his glory and strength, demonstrated by his voice shaking the very 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 8:14-17)

The Apostles in Jerusalem hear that the Word of God had been accepted outside of the Holy Land in Samaria. They send Peter and John to this group who had only been baptized in water and when the Apostles lay hands upon them, they receive the Holy Spirit for the first time.

Gospel (Luke 3:15-17, 21-22)

John the Baptist raises expectations in the people that he might be the Messiah, but he claims that a much greater one is coming who will baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Upon Jesus himself being baptized, a heavenly voice proclaims him as the beloved Son of God.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

  • The waters of baptism are both disturbing and assuring
  • Jesus identifies with the historical experience of Israel
  • What Jesus brings overflows the expectations of Israel
  • The God of all creation has acted definitively in the arrival of the Christ
  • Christian baptism has both inner and outer dimensions

 

Posted on

The Epiphany, January 6, 2019, Year C

Please see How to Use 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, a dramatic change is coming. The glory of the Lord will so shine upon them that the nations will be attracted and bring gifts, including gold and frankincense, to a joyfully reunited and thriving Israel.

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 the 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 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?

 

 

 

 

Posted on

Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 23, 2018, Year C

Please see How to Use Lection Connection

Full lections can be read here.

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (Micah 5:2-5a)

The prophet Micah declares that Israel’s ruler will come, as promised, from the smallest clan of Judah in the little town of Bethlehem. They will be bereft until a woman has given birth to a son and his people return. He shall shepherd them securely in the peace and strength of the Lord.

Psalm/Canticle ([Magnificat] Luke 1:46b-55)

Mary praises God for raising her from obscurity to become the mother of the Lord. She sees this as part of God’s pattern of lifting up the lowly and needy and putting down the proud and rich. This is a pattern rooted in the covenant promise made to Abraham and his descendants.

Second Reading (Hebrews 10:5-10)

The coming of Christ means the end to the old sacrifices and offerings as his body is offered once for all instead. Those sacrifices and offerings under the law were unable to please God and it was his will to send Christ into the world that through his body we might be truly sanctified.

Gospel (Luke 1:39-45)

After Gabriel’s visit, Mary hurries to her cousin Elizabeth who is indeed pregnant. Her child leaps for joy at Mary’s greeting and Elizabeth herself is filled with the Holy Spirit. She tells Mary that her baby is blessed, as is she, because she had believed the word of the Lord.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

  • God has not lost sight of the humble and lowly
  • Mary, as a humble believer in God’s word, is lifted up
  • Part of God’s lifting up of the humble involves the sacrifice of his Son.
  • The promises of God are sure

OR

Based on the Alternative Readings

First Reading (Micah 5:2-5a)

The prophet Micah declares that Israel’s ruler will come, as promised, from the smallest clan of Judah in the little town of Bethlehem. They will be bereft until a woman has given birth to a son and his people return. He shall shepherd them securely in the peace and strength of the Lord.

Psalm (80:1-7)

The Psalmist, aware of Yahweh’s displeasure with his people, asks him three times to shine his face upon them that they might be saved. They have suffered greatly but Yahweh remains in their midst and will surely respond to their calls upon his name.

Second Reading (Hebrews 10:5-10)

The coming of Christ means the end to the old sacrifices and offerings as his body is offered once for all instead. Those sacrifices and offerings under the law were unable to please God and it was his will to send Christ into the world that through his body we might be truly sanctified.

Gospel (Luke 1:39-55)

After Gabriel’s visit, Mary hurries to her cousin Elizabeth who is indeed pregnant. Her child leaps in joy at Mary’s greeting and Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit. Mary praises God for lifting up lowly Israel, fulfilling the covenant made with Abraham and his descendants forever.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

  • God has not lost sight of the humble and lowly
  • Mary, as a humble believer in God’s word, is lifted up
  • Part of God’s lifting up of the humble involves the sacrifice of his Son.
  • The promises of God are sure

 

Posted on

Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany, February 11, 2018, Year B

Lection Connection for Transfiguration Sunday can be found here.

Please see How to Use Lection Connection

Full lections can be read here.

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (2 Kings 5:1-14)

A captive Israeli girl informs her master Naaman, commander of Aram’s army, that there is a prophet back home who can cure his leprosy. He finds Elisha who tells him to wash in the Jordan to be healed. At first he refuses, but his servants convince him to try and it works.

Psalm (30)

Because of Yahweh’s healing him in the past, the Psalmist invites others to join him in praise and thanksgiving. When he had been confident in his prosperity, adversity had brought him low. But Yahweh heard his cry and turned his mourning into joy.

Second Reading (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

St. Paul likens the Christian life to a footrace whose eternal prize is worth our total effort to prepare for and to run. He himself has done everything he could to subdue his own body in order to practice what he preaches and provide a positive example.

Gospel (Mark 1:40-45)

Jesus, against the rules of religion, reaches out and touches a leper who is confident Jesus can heal him. Upon being restored the man disobeys Jesus command to silence. This increases Jesus’ fame and his popularity makes it necessary for him to avoid towns.

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

  • Do whatever it takes to be a faithful Christian
  • Gossipping the Gospel is always a good thing
  • A word, even from the lowly, can accomplish great things in the kingdom
  • Jesus continues but intensifies the prophetic ministry of healing

 

 

 

 

Posted on

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, February 4, 2018, Year B

Please see How to Use 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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh 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

 

 

Posted on

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, January 28, 2018, Year B

Please see How to Use Lection Connection 

Full lections can be read here.

Based on the Readings as Set

First Reading (Deuteronomy 18:15-20)

Yahweh, 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 Yahweh 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

 

 

Posted on

Third Sunday after the Epiphany, January 21, 2018, Year B

Please see How to Use Lection Connection

Full lections can be read here.

Based on the Readings as Set

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

Yahweh 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

 

 

 

Posted on

Second Sunday after the Epiphany, January 14, 2018, Year B

Please see How to Use 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 Yahweh unexpectedly comes to the boy Samuel serving under Eli the priest. It is a difficult word for the budding prophet because it regards Yahweh’s coming punishment upon Eli and his sons.

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

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

Second Reading (1 Corinthians 6:12-20)

In stressing the freedom of Christians, St. 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’ invitation to follow him, Philip tells his brother Nathaniel that he has found the Expected One. After Jesus shows that he had intimate prior knowledge of him Nathaniel 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

 

 

Posted on

Baptism of the Lord, January 7, 2018, Year B

Lection Connection for Epiphany, January 6, 2018, can be found here.

Please see How to Use 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 both the formless earth and the dark waters of the deep over which his Spirit is hovering. He declares the light “good” and names it “day” and the darkness “night”, evening and morning forming the first day.

Psalm (29)

All in heaven are called to worship Yahweh for his glory and strength, his voice shaking the very earth itself. 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 St. Paul first arrives at Ephesus he encounters a group of disciples who have been baptized into John’s baptism. He explains that John pointed to Jesus and when they are baptized in Jesus’ name the Holy Spirit comes upon them with tongues and prophecy.

Gospel (Mark 1:4-11)

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

CONNECTION SUGGESTIONS

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