Month: July 2023

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, July 30, 2023, Proper 12: Genesis 29:15-28; Psalm 105:1-11, 45b; Romans 8:26-39; Matthew 13:31-33,44-52 Today’s readings are full of promises: good promises and bad promises, promises kept and betrayed. We start with a broken promise. Jacob worked for seven years for Laban to win his daughter Rachel who Jacob loved; after…

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 11: July 23, 2023: Genesis 28:10-19a; Psalm 139: 1-11, 22-23; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30,36-43 Our readings today begin with a dream. Jacob is traveling and stops for the night “because the sun had set”. He used a stone for a pillow, and went to sleep. He dreamed of a ladder…

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 10; July 16, 2023: Genesis 25:19-34; Psalm 119:105-112; Romans 8:1-11; Matthew 13:1-9,18-23 Over the past few weeks, the passages from the Hebrew Scriptures have focused on the stories of Abraham and his descendants. These are great stories, as stories. They are more challenging as our understanding of God’s message to…

Sixth Sunday of Pentecost, 9 July 2023: Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67; Psalm 45: 11-18 or Song of Solomon 2:8-13; Romans 7:15-25a; Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am…

5th Sunday of Pentecost, Proper 8: Genesis 22:1-14; Psalm 13; Romans 6:12-23;Matthew 10:40-42 Everytime the story of the binding of Isaac comes up in the lectionary, I get upset. It is a story of child abuse: the fact that Isaac in the end is not sacrificed does not make up for the terror he experienced.…