A Simple Desire

Since 2015 Commenting on the Revised Common Lectionary

Fifth Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Psalm Passage – Preacher & Seeker consider the psalmist’s beliefs in his Lord God, and the serenity it bringsApril 27, 2024
Preacher: One may not be able to tell from where the RCL picks up this psalm, but the psalmist is frightened and has asked the Divine from protection. But he is also certain that protection will come, and so he feels emboldened to praise his God. “From you comes my praise in the great congregation;… Read more: Fifth Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Psalm Passage – Preacher & Seeker consider the psalmist’s beliefs in his Lord God, and the serenity it brings
Fifth Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Gospel Passage – A metaphor of growing in love, and the consequences of withering awayApril 26, 2024
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.” (John 15:1 – 2) I am taken by the image that we, the branches, are in the Messiah. That we, as… Read more: Fifth Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Gospel Passage – A metaphor of growing in love, and the consequences of withering away
Fifth Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Epistle Passage – A precedent of juxtapositions of loveApril 24, 2024
“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (I John 4:7 – 8) I can rarely read this verse without remembering the little refrain I learned in youth group. It… Read more: Fifth Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Epistle Passage – A precedent of juxtapositions of love
Fifth Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Substitute Acts Passage – A miracle of juxtapositionsApril 23, 2024
“Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge… Read more: Fifth Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Substitute Acts Passage – A miracle of juxtapositions
Fourth Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Psalm Passage – Exercising faith & belief: Preacher & Seeker look at Psalm 32 againApril 20, 2024
Preacher: “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” I am reminded, and it is no coincidence knowing the RCL, of the gospel passage for this week – that Jesus said He was a good shepherd, the Good Shepherd, laying down His life. And was able through the Divine to pick His life back… Read more: Fourth Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Psalm Passage – Exercising faith & belief: Preacher & Seeker look at Psalm 32 again
Fourth Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Gospel Passage – Exercising love & compassionApril 19, 2024
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11) From what I have learned and understood of Jewish society at that time, shepherds were not held in high esteem. The stayed long days and weeks with the sheep, and did not have opportunities to bath. Probably less… Read more: Fourth Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Gospel Passage – Exercising love & compassion
Fourth Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Epistles Passage – “Building up” our love & compassionApril 17, 2024
“We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us–and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?” (I John 3:16 – 17) There is a… Read more: Fourth Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Epistles Passage – “Building up” our love & compassion
Fourth Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Substituted Acts Passage – “Building up” our faithApril 16, 2024
“The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” (Acts 4:5 – 7)… Read more: Fourth Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Substituted Acts Passage – “Building up” our faith
Third Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Psalm Passage – Leaning in on the relationship with the Divine: Preacher & Seeker take up the psalmist’s pleaApril 13, 2024
Preacher: “Answer me when I call, O God of my right! You gave me room when I was in distress. Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.” I am not sure if this is a plea or a demand from the psalmist. I am hoping, for the psalmist’s sake it is a plea, considering… Read more: Third Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Psalm Passage – Leaning in on the relationship with the Divine: Preacher & Seeker take up the psalmist’s plea
Third Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Gospel Passage – The expectations & understanding of what it means to be in relationship with the DivineApril 12, 2024
“While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” (Luke 24:36b) This passage comes right after one of my favorite post-Easter stories about the two travelers on the road to Emmaus, where Jesus met them on the road and traveled with them explaining the passages… Read more: Third Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Gospel Passage – The expectations & understanding of what it means to be in relationship with the Divine
Third Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Epistle Passage – The expectation of belonging to & being in relationship with the DivineApril 10, 2024
“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (I John 3:1) On one level I agree with this. If our upbringing is not known, it is… Read more: Third Sunday After Easter, Year B 2023 – 24: Epistle Passage – The expectation of belonging to & being in relationship with the Divine