A Simple Desire

Since 2015 Commenting on the Revised Common Lectionary

Season After Pentecost / Ordinary Time, Yr C, 2022: Psalm Passage – See all sides of the human condition when on a mission for the Divine; Preacher and Seeker show us the landscapeJune 25, 2022
Seeker: “I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that he may hear me.” Quite honestly, Preacher, I am not sure if the psalmist is going to be petition, pleading, or praising. Whatever is going to happen, I suspect it will be filled with loud sound. Preacher: “In the day of my trouble I seek […]
Season After Pentecost / Ordinary Time, Yr C, 2022: Gospel Passage – Not all who wander are lost; some are on a missionJune 24, 2022
“When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.” (Luke […]
Season After Pentecost / Ordinary Time, Yr C, 2022: Epistle Passage – Moving from incorrect living to corrected livingJune 22, 2022
“For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1) This verse harks back to last week, where we talked about freedom. And indeed one of the commentators says it more properly belongs to the previous chapter and the issues found there. Paul […]
Season After Pentecost / Ordinary Time, Yr C, 2022: Old Testament Passage – From Elijah into Elisha; moving from one life to the nextJune 21, 2022
“Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not […]
Season After Pentecost / Ordinary Time, Yr C, 2022: Psalm Passage – Being freed from fear & dancing with the psalmist & scripture; Preacher & Seeker leadJune 18, 2022
Preacher: Seeker, we have before us two chapters of scripture from the Psalms, Psalm 42 & 43. I suggest we intertwine them as we have in the past. A sort of dance with the psalmist setting the tempo. Are you game? Seeker: Lead the way, Preacher. And let us see where the psalmist’s and our […]
Season After Pentecost / Ordinary Time, Yr C, 2022: Gospel Passage – Everyone FearsJune 17, 2022
“Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he […]
Season After Pentecost / Ordinary Time, Yr C, 2022: Epistle Passage – Freed from our fears!?June 15, 2022
“Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed.” (Galatians 3:23) If one takes this literally, that would mean that the laws set down since the giving of the Ten Commandments were seen as confining and burdensome. I have read and thought about the Ten Commandments a […]
Season After Pentecost / Ordinary Time, Yr C, 2022: Old Testament Passage – “Facing” your fearsJune 14, 2022
“Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” […]
Trinity Sunday, Yr C, 2022: Psalm Passage – Once more, the Essence of the Divine in scripture, especially in times of trouble; Preacher & Seeker talk about itJune 11, 2022
Seeker: “O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.” Preacher: I am not sure if I am up to this. I got some sad news about a friend; and while I am taking it to the Lord and talking to the Lord, […]
Trinity Sunday, Yr C, 2022: Gospel Passage – Passing the Essence of the Divine to the disciples in the worldJune 10, 2022
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” (John 16:12) I vaguely remember asking “Why” a great deal when I was going up. Often I was told “because” and “you will understand when you get older.” But, I wanted to know at the time and got frustrated when […]
Trinity Sunday, Yr C, 2022: Epistle Passage – Utilizing Human Intellect & UnderstandingJune 8, 2022
“Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.” (Romans 5:1 – 2) Yesterday the Old Testament gave us an opportunity to […]