Lectionary Readings
(from the Revised Common Lectionary)
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This lectionary covers the next thirty days. For full lists, see the seasons and years below.
Sunday, July 20, 2025
Proper 11 (16)—Season after Pentecost, Year C
Summary
Many are puzzled by the story of Mary and Martha, and try to turn it into either promotion of rest and "self-care" or else casting Jesus as a gender radical, denigrating the traditional link between femininity and hospitality and promoting the life of theological study instead. In fact, the key verse comes in 39, where Mary listens to "his word" which he identifies as the only thing that is necessary in v. 42. It is not that the practicalities of hosting and feeding people are to be despised in favor of the life of the mind. Rather, Jesus sets the goals of life in their proper order. The Word of God comes first, since "man does not live on bread alone" (Luke 4:4), and all else will be provided for.
Martha's complaint is understandable to anyone who has been left alone in the kitchen, but nevertheless we must learn with her that hearing and meditating on the Word of God is the path to eternal life, whereas the busyness of providing food and shelter only prolongs earthly life. Both are necessary, but it benefits no one to shut the way to eternal life in order to provide for the present one.
Sunday, July 27, 2025
Proper 12 (17)—Season after Pentecost, Year C
Summary
The Fathers of the Church saw in the Lord's prayer a microcosm of the Christian life, reading far more deeply than we, on the far side of 2,000 years of Christian tradition, are accustomed today.
In the ancient world the ability for just anyone to petition God as "Father" was an astounding promotion of humans. Those who prayed to a Father proclaim their status as sons.
"Hallowed be thy name" is a confession of holiness and the rightful fear of the God who dwells in unapproachable light.
"Thy Kingdom Come, thy will be done ..." is the confident petition of those who know the final judgment will be in their favor, having lived holy lives in the grace of Christ—those who are not would not make this petition.
"On earth as in heaven" is the request of the church to be used by Christ to do his holy work, and to imitate heaven during her time on earth.
"Daily bread" is confessing reliance on God for our daily necessities and also the request for the supernatural Bread of Life, Jesus himself, whom believers require daily to nourish their spiritual lives.
"Forgive us our sins…" Our forgiveness of others follows God's forgiveness of us. If we do not forgive others' sins against us, we are in no place to accept God's forgiveness of our sins against him.
"Lead us not into temptation." It should hardly come as a scandal that God sometimes leads into temptation, considering the Spirit drove Jesus himself into the wilderness "to be tempted" (Matt. 4:1). God is not the cause of evil, but rather allows us to be tested, giving us every grace and ability to overcome. Nevertheless, we are not to be brash and presume on God's grace to go looking for opportunities to test our own faith. Rather, we ask that God keep us from these trials and preserve us. The petition is of reliance on God, rather than confidence in our strength of faith.
Sunday, August 3, 2025
Proper 13 (18)—Season after Pentecost, Year C
Summary
Luke's particular concern on the spiritual dimension of poverty and wealth leads him to highlight this delicious parable from Jesus. Jesus' teaching is not mystical but practical. Significantly, it is not the desire for security that is the problem for the rich man in the story, it is that he has a poor investment strategy from God's perspective in heaven, for "life does not consist in possessions" (v. 15). Therefore, the man has failed to provide for his own life.
Jesus' teaching on possessions is that wealth is effervescent. Storing up the fruit of labor is indeed the "vanity of vanities" for one day, we will die, and another will benefit from the temporal goods we have labored for. Nothing may be taken with us. Therefore, the right investment for the one who has much is to give to the poor and thus be "rich toward God," storing up heavenly treasure that may be enjoyed eternally.
Sunday, August 10, 2025
Proper 14 (19)—Season after Pentecost, Year C
Summary
The preceding week's admonition against hoarding wealth is given an additional spiritual dimension: that one's "heart" is to be found with one's treasure. Therefore, giving alms is not an optional task but a spiritual necessity by carrying the heart to God and away from one's wealth.
Luke 12:35-40 are sometimes cast in certain traditions as addressed to nonbelievers, since it is thought that Christians cannot sabotage their own salvation through negligence. However, from the word doulos ("slave") in verse 37 and oikonomos in verse 42, it is clear that this passage is addressed to both ordinary believers and believers in spiritual authority: specifically the 12 Apostles and the others around them (v. 41). So, confessing Christians may not wiggle out of the warnings mentioned here and the preacher should encourage believers in the congregation to be diligent in prayer and good works, not because these things merit salvation, but that they keep them alert to the reality of the kingdom.
The preacher should take care to note that the master coming upon the slave is not only a reference to the end of time or one's own death, but also the many small "comings" in our own lives: a difficult choice, a person in need. Those who have not prepared through prayer and fasting will find themselves shrinking back from the tasks God gives us. We ought to live into a habit of expecting Jesus to show up in our lives daily in these ways and so be good slaves and stewards, ready to do his will.
Sunday, August 17, 2025
Proper 15 (20)—Season after Pentecost, Year C
Summary
Jesus' words in Luke 12 are terrifying knowing that they come from the Son of God. What does it mean that the Prince of Peace comes with fire and division? The Jeremiah passage helps us to clarify the picture. In it, God's word is described as fire. Fire is often held up as a purifying force, consuming worthless things and purifying what is worthwhile, like gold. Jesus then brings the fire of God's word to bear upon people and they either accept or reject it, creating division, even in the midst of households (cf. Micah 7:6). Later, in Luke 24, the disciples on the Road to Emmaus exclaim "Were our hearts not burning within us ... while he was explaining the Scriptures to us?"
The preacher may remind the congregation that the faith has never promised peace without pain, and many whose families are divided over the faith may find great comfort in that their situation was not unanticipated by the Lord.
The remaining verses are against complacency: we know that we will have to settle our account before the Lord, but this will need to be done "on the way" (i.e. in this present life). Jesus' admonishment in verse 56 asks us to apply worldly canniness to spiritual matters. If we spent half as much time preparing for our eternal destiny as we do scheming about how to improve the conditions of our worldly life, the Way would not seem so difficult to walk.
