Every week for three years, I wrote a reflection to match the gospel reading from the Revised Common Lectionary, and I posted all of the reflections here on the website. This page is an index, a link to each post in order.
The point is thinking. Reflecting. Sharing a sense of hope. And I hope that you find something here that you did not have when you arrived. If something you find here gives you reason to think about yourself, other people, God, and the universe, to think something new, or something different, or much as you always did but more deeply, then these reflections have served their purpose.
And please take a moment to let me know what you think. You may not always agree with my thoughts, but getting people to agree with me isn’t the point.
I am indebted to Vanderbilt University for their excellent Revised Common Lectionary website, which you can reach by clicking on this link—it will open their site in another window, and you can read the complete scripture passages for each lection there. They’ve also added a beautiful collection of related artwork. You should take a look.
If you’d like to read the post that matches a particular Sunday, scroll down to the entry and you’ll find a link to that post. (Of course, it might be easier to just enter the scripture passage in the search box in the menu and let it bring up the relevant posts.)
Reflections on Gospel Passages in The Revised Common Lectionary
Year A
First Sunday of Advent
Matthew 24:36-44
Second Sunday of Advent
Matthew 3:1-12
Third Sunday of Advent
Matthew 11:2-11
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Matthew 1:18-25
Nativity of the Lord – Proper I
Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)
Nativity of the Lord – Proper II
Luke 2:(1-7), 8-20
Nativity of the Lord – Proper III
John 1:1-14
First Sunday after Christmas Day
Matthew 2:13-23
Baptism of the Lord
Matthew 3:13-17
Second Sunday after the Epiphany
Until Something Better Comes Along
John 1:29-42
Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Matthew 4:12-23
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
Matthew 5:1-12
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Matthew 5:13-20
Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
Matthew 5:21-37
Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
Matthew 5:38-48
Transfiguration Sunday
Strange Things on the Mountain
Matthew 17:1-9
Ash Wednesday
The Kingdom of Ought and the World of Is
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
First Sunday in Lent
Matthew 4:1-11
Second Sunday in Lent
John 3:1-17 or Matthew 17:1-9
Third Sunday in Lent
John 4:5-42
Annunciation of the Lord
Luke 1:26-38
Fourth Sunday in Lent
John 9:1-41
Fifth Sunday in Lent
John 11:1-45
Liturgy of the Palms
Matthew 21:1-11
Resurrection of the Lord
John 20:1-18 or Matthew 28:1-10
Second Sunday of Easter
John 20:19-31
Third Sunday of Easter
Luke 24:13-35
Fourth Sunday of Easter
John 10:1-10
Fifth Sunday of Easter
John 14:1-14
Sixth Sunday of Easter
John 14:15-21
Ascension of the Lord
Luke 24:44-53
Seventh Sunday of Easter
John 17:1-11
Day of Pentecost
John 20:19-23 or John 7:37-39
Trinity Sunday
Matthew 28:16-20
Proper 6 (11)
Matthew 9:35-10:8, (9-23)
Proper 7 (12)
Matthew 10:24-39
Proper 8 (13)
Matthew 10:40-42
Proper 9 (14)
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
Proper 10 (15)
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
Proper 11 (16)
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Proper 12 (17)
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
Proper 13 (18)
Matthew 14:13-21
Proper 14 (19)
Matthew 14:22-33
Proper 15 (20)
Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28
Proper 16 (21)
Matthew 16:13-20
Proper 17 (22)
Matthew 16:21-28
Proper 18 (23)
Matthew 18:15-20
Holy Cross
John 3:13-17
Proper 19 (24)
Matthew 18:21-35
Proper 20 (25)
Matthew 20:1-16
Proper 21 (26)
Matthew 21:23-32
Proper 22 (27)
Matthew 21:33-46
Proper 23 (28)
Matthew 22:1-14
Proper 24 (29)
Matthew 22:15-22
Proper 25 (30)
Matthew 22:34-46
Proper 26 (31)
Matthew 23:1-12
Proper 27 (32)
Matthew 25:1-13
Proper 28 (33)
Matthew 25:14-30
Reign of Christ – Proper 29 (34)
Matthew 25:31-46
Year B Begins
First Sunday in Advent — Year B
Mark 13:24-37
Second Sunday in Advent
Mark 1:1-8
Third Sunday in Advent
John 1:6-8, 19-28
Fourth Sunday in Advent
Luke 1:26-38
Baptism of the Lord
Mark 1:4-11
Second Sunday after the Epiphany
John 1:43-51
Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Mark 1:14-20
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
Mark 1:21-28
Transfiguration
Mark 9:2-9
First Sunday in Lent
Mark 1:9-15
Second Sunday in Lent
Mark 8:31-38 or Mark 9:2-9
Third Sunday in Lent
John 2:13-22
Fourth Sunday in Lent
John 3:14-21
Liturgy of the Palms
Mark 11:1-11
John 12:12-16
Resurrection of the Lord – Easter
John 20:1-18 or Mark 16:1-8
Second Sunday of Easter
John 20:19-31
Third Sunday of Easter
Luke 24:36b-48
Fourth Sunday of Easter
John 10:11-18
Fifth Sunday of Easter
John 15:1-8
Sixth Sunday of Easter
John 15:9-17
Seventh Sunday of Easter
John 17:6-19
Pentecost
John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
Trinity Sunday
John 3:1-17
Second Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 2:23-3:6
Third Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 3:20-35
Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 4:26-34
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 4:35-41
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 5:21-43
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 6:1-13
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 6:14-29
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 6:30-56
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
John 6:1-21
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
John 6:24-35
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
John 6:25-51
Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
John 6:51-58
Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
John 6:56-69
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23
Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Tell No One: Being Made Again in the Gospel of Mark
Mark 7:24-37
Holy Cross | Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
John 3:13-17
Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 9:30-37
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 9:38-50
Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 10:2-16
Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 10:17-31
Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost
We Don’t Know What We’re Asking
Mark 10:35-45
Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 10:46-52
Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Throwing Horseshoes in the Kingdom of God
Mark 12:28-34
Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 12:38-44
Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 13:1-8
Reign of Christ
Faith, Religion, and Van Gogh’s Starry Night
John 18:33-37
Year C Begins
First Sunday in Advent
Fig Tree at the End of the World
Luke 21:25-36
Second Sunday in Advent
Luke 3:1-6
Third Sunday in Advent
Luke 3:7-18
Fourth Sunday in Advent
Luke 1:39-55
First Sunday after Christmas
Luke 2:41-52
Second Sunday after Christmas (not observed in 2019)
John 1:1-18
Epiphany of the Lord
Matthew 2:1-12
Baptism of the Lord/First Sunday after the Epiphany
Luke 3:15-22
Second Sunday after the Epiphany
John 2:1-11
Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Killing Jesus — Part 1, A Cliffhanger
Luke 4:14-21
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
Killing Jesus — Part 2, A Cliffhanger
Luke 4:21-30
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Luke 5:1-11
Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
Luke 6:17-26
Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
Luke 6:27-38
Transfiguration
Luke 9:28-43
First Sunday in Lent
Luke 4:1-13
Second Sunday in Lent
Jesus, Odin, and the Female Aspect of God
Luke 13:31-35
Third Sunday in Lent
Luke 13:1-9
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Peace, Love, Mercy, and No Justice
Luke 15:11-32
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Death, a Thief, and the Scent of Perfume
John 12:1-8
Liturgy of the Palms
Luke 19:28-40
Easter — Resurrection of the Lord
Ideas on the Way to Resurrection
John 20:1-18 or Luke 24:1-12
Second Sunday of Easter
John 20:19-31
Third Sunday of Easter
John 21:1-19
Fourth Sunday of Easter
John 10:22-42
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Here’s a sermon as well, based on the same text: By Our Love
John 13:31-35
Sixth Sunday of Easter
John 5:1-18
Seventh Sunday of Easter
John 17:20-26
Pentecost
John 14:8-17, (25-27)
Trinity Sunday
Three Strangers and Other Odd Notions
John 16:12-15
Second Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 8:26-39
Third Sunday after Pentecost
Foxholes and Bird Nests and Wandering Arameans
Luke 9:51-62
Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 10:1-11,16-20
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 10:25-37
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 10:38-42
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 11:1-13
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 12:13-21
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 12:32-40
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 12:49-56
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 13:10-17
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Poor, Crippled, Lame, and Blind
Luke 14:1,7-14
Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Jesus and the Buddha and a Flood
Luke 14:25-33
Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 15:1-10
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
The Rascal, Jesus, and Crashing Heaven’s Gate
Luke 16:1-13
Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 16:19-31
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Small Seeds, Signs, and Wonders
Luke 17:5-10
Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 17:11-19
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Judges, Crones, and Charlie Brown
Luke 18:1-8
Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 18:9-14
Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 19:1-10
Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost
The Seven Samurai, er, Brothers
Luke 20:27-38
Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 21:5-19
Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 23:33-43